At Face Value
by suej
Summary: A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict. THE END! All chapters now posted! Thanks for reading!
1. Part 1

At Face Value  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 1  
  
They materialized in the appointed place and at the appointed time and B'Elanna Torres and Captain Kathryn Janeway instinctively raised the collars on their heavy Starfleet parkas against the chill.  
  
In the never-ending quest for supplies they had made contact with a race called the Hakonene who inhabited an underground world in the Northern Hemisphere of a largely glacial planet.  
  
While the surface of the planet in Hakonene territory was completely inhospitable, the inhabitants were able to live and work below ground in huge caverns. The caverns were warmed by volcanic activity beneath the surface of the planet and supplied with water through the melting of glacial ice by those very same volcanic flows.  
  
Their unique environment was lush with vegetation and populated by several small species of animals. Several fissures in the cathedral like cavern roof of the primary habitat allowed natural light from the surface to penetrate below, and the inhabitants had also added several types of artificial lighting of there own, creating a comfortably lit home. They lived in a completely self-sustaining ecosystem that could never be conceived of by looking at the surface.  
  
Voyager had been hailed when they entered the system by a small patrol ship. Upon establishing a friendly first contact, they had been invited to trade for supplies. While Janeway had found it odd that they had not seen more than the patrol ship to indicate that this was a technologically advanced and warp capable society, there had been no sign of trouble. Quite possibly the Hakonene were simply not that curious about the galaxy beyond and so they had not seen fit to develop their space capability any further.  
  
For the last several days, Voyager had been orbiting the planet, and now that their food supplies had been restocked, B'Elanna and the Captain had returned to investigate the possibility of obtaining useful raw materials.  
  
While the Voyager officers and crew had been welcomed with open arms on their previous visits, they were not permitted to transport directly to the caverns below the surface. The Hakonene had a surface defense perimeter that was strictly enforced. They never mentioned what they were protecting themselves from, and Janeway was somewhat curious as to the need for such precautions. There were no other inhabited planets in the system, and while there was evidence of other races on this planet, they were widely scattered and there were no obvious signs of conflict among them, at least none that Voyager had detected.  
  
On this trip, the two Voyager officers were to be met by a representative of the government and one of the Hakonene engineers to evaluate mining possibilities. They were somewhat surprised that their hosts were not already in the landing area to meet them. For previous meetings, two or more Hakonene representatives had met the Voyager away teams, who were always asked to transport to a different location without weapons, and were escorted to one of the cavern entrances. Normally this involved a walk of about a kilometer during which they were never allowed to use their tricorders. These trips were also made through driving snow, but the amount of supplies they had been able to obtain was well worth the effort.  
  
Kathryn Janeway herself had made these trips several times over the last few days and was convinced that they never walked in the same general direction twice. The wind and snow would come at them from different sides making a perfect natural defense as well and giving her reason to believe that the Hakonene were deliberately making it as difficult as possible for them to memorize the way to the cavern entrances.  
  
The weather and the perimeter defenses also prevented Voyager from determining the entrances from orbit, so they were completely at the mercy of these people in finding their way around once on the surface. From the very beginning they had also discovered that communication and transporter function was limited due to the same interference. In order to conduct trade negotiations, the Hakonene employed some type of signal booster that facilitated communication directly between the underground habitat and Voyager in orbit. It also supported the away teams in transporting unharmed to the surface. But simply stated, Voyager's normal scanning, transport and communication protocols were nearly impossible to sustain.  
  
The entire situation had made Janeway uncomfortable at first. But the Hakonene government officials were pleasant enough. She had even spent hours in conference with Chakotay and Tuvok going over concerns with the Hakonene and their overly cautious security. In the end, they had all agreed to take the Hakonene at face value, believing their precautions posed no threat to Voyager or her crew. Working this way would be an inconvenience, but on balance, it seemed a small enough price to pay.  
  
Now on the surface at the location directed by the Hakonene ambassador, Janeway was curious that there was no one around. She removed her tricorder from her pocket, knowing full well the readings would be erratic at best on the surface, and began to turn in a slow circle to scan the area.  
  
As for B'Elanna, this away mission alone with the Captain made her more than a little uncomfortable. The last few months had been a challenge to say the least. First there had been a period where her behavior had been extremely erratic to all outward observers. She had spent several weeks assaulted by flashbacks and unresolved emotions over the fate of the Maquis. As a result she had been engaging in progressively more dangerous pursuits, putting herself in real physical jeopardy, all in attempt to 'feel something' as she had put it once to Chakotay.  
  
The Doctor had eventually diagnosed her as clinically depressed and she distinctly remembered one encounter with the Captain during that time. While she was recovering in sickbay after one particularly dangerous incident left her severely injured, the Captain had given B'Elanna every opportunity to explain herself. She even expressed personal concern for her chief engineer. But B'Elanna hadn't been ready to admit anything then, and even after she was eventually treated and returned to duty, she was uncomfortable around Janeway. And quite frankly, she hadn't given it enough thought to understand exactly why that was so.  
  
Only weeks later, B'Elanna had been attacked by an alien life form that physically attached itself to her, and in the process endangered her life. The Doctor had explored every option to disengage the creature without causing further injury to it's victim, until finally, with no other choice in evidence, it was suggested that he might find assistance through a unique application of the medical library. Janeway had given permission for the Doctor to enlist the aid of a Cardassian exobiologist, and expert in his field, by creating him as a holographic program.  
  
B'Elanna had been violently opposed to the whole idea, particularly when it was discovered that the real scientist was suspected of using Bajoran prisoners as guinea pigs in his research. She had stated emphatically that she would rather die. Ultimately, the Captain intervened and made a highly controversial decision that allowed the Doctor to save her life. After all was said and done, B'Elanna had been very angry and had even gone so far as to accuse the Captain of interfering in something that she had no right to. Once again, the gulf between the two women widened.  
  
Last but not least, another incident with a Malon waste ship had nearly cost all of them their lives. With everything else that had been going on in her life at that time, her temper was in full swing, and her patience was non-existent, and the Malon added to her agitation. She and the Captain had gone head to head several times while the Malon were on board over B'Elanna's lack of decorum with their so called guests.  
  
In the hope of putting much of this period behind her, she had been working with both the Doctor and Tuvok and had finally wrestled her raging emotions back in check. Her relationship with Tom had been a great help as well. He had truly been there for her through all of it. He seemed to know just when to speak, when to listen, and when to simply envelop her in one of the patented Paris hugs that she loved so much.  
  
She knew he understood at least some of what she was going through. Tom Paris was now an Ensign and wresting with is own conflicting emotions concerning Kathryn Janeway. She had recently demoted him and sent him to the brig for a month following a series of incidents on a planet covered with a vast ocean. He had gotten too close, too involved with the situation, and following his conscience had led him to open insubordination, defying direct orders from the Captain. While he acknowledged she really had no choice but to discipline him, he was still resentful and hurt over it and he and the Captain had been little more than guardedly civil to one another since.  
  
Long talks and several very intense rounds of velocity on the holodeck with Chakotay were also an integral part of B'Elanna's recovery. He was a good friend. The best anyone could ask for. And he knew her so well after their long association that she could always count on him to see to the heart of what was bothering her and tell her exactly what he thought of a situation, even if it was painful or unpleasant to hear.  
  
Even with all of that, there was still one relationship that she felt she had damaged and had yet to repair. There was a tension in the air when she was around Kathryn Janeway that she couldn't fully explain. Part of the problem was simply timing. Since the incidents, B'Elanna had spent very little time around the Captain outside of official staff meetings. Both had been busy with their own duties, and unbeknownst to B'Elanna, Janeway was intentionally giving her some space, hoping that she would eventually come to her on her own to discuss their working relationship, if nothing else.  
  
Now, circumstances had thrown them together on this away mission. B'Elanna was doing all she could not to sound nervous at the reality of her first real one on one time with the Captain in a long time. With all that had happened, she wasn't entirely sure how this would go, so she had determined to keep to the business at hand, and maybe, just maybe, she could get through this with as little unease as possible. "Something wrong Captain?" she asked, shaking herself back to the present and noticing the intensity with which Janeway was staring at her tricorder, using her voice to convey a calm she did not feel.  
  
Janeway answered B'Elanna's question while keeping her attention focused on the display on the tricorder. "I'm not sure yet. But I have a sneaking suspicion something isn't quite right about this. We've always been met immediately upon transport."  
  
"Getting any readings?"  
  
"Nothing conclusive. The interference is wreaking havoc with the signal." Janeway looked genuinely puzzled by the readout on her instrument even though she was well aware the chances of getting a clear reading were slim. "I'm reading several life-signs, fairly faint. But they seem to be coming from everywhere. I'm not sure what to make of them. There are apparently several small caverns somewhere to the south of our present location as well."  
  
Suddenly B'Elanna cocked her head upward and looked apprehensive. "Do you hear that Captain?"  
  
Janeway knew that her Klingon engineer had much better hearing, "Hear what?"  
  
"It's hard to tell with all this wind, but it sounds like shouting."  
  
Janeway joined B'Elanna and craned her neck around to try to pick up the sounds. There was little but the howling of the wind for several seconds and then she heard something as well. "I can't tell for sure, but I think I hear it too. It seems to be coming from that direction." Janeway pointed with the hand still containing the tricorder in order to get any information she could.  
  
Within a few more seconds, several dark figures appeared over a snowdrift from the north. There were two distinct groups. The first group consisted of two figures moving as quickly as possible through the often knee deep snow. They were being followed by a group of six others. From Janeway's point of view, chased would be the more accurate term. She quickly looked at her tricorder and was now able to identify that the men in front were indeed the officials who had been sent to meet them. But as they got closer, it was clear that the figures chasing them were men from a race unknown to them. Janeway and B'Elanna could even make out the fact that there were projectiles being shot at the men in the front. They appeared to be arrows being fired from some type of extremely powerful crossbow as they were traveling the not insignificant distance between the two groups with relative ease.  
  
Janeway impatiently shifted her stance in the snow. "Nice time to be without a phaser. Looks like were about to make another enemy."  
  
"Apparently, guilt by association." commented B'Elanna with a shrug of her shoulders.  
  
Within moments the two officials were within shouting distance of the two women. "Come with us. Run!" one was shouting as loud as he could.  
  
Janeway reached for her combadge instead, "Janeway to Voyager, emergency beam-out!" and there was no response.  
  
As the men got within thirty meters of them, a vicious looking, thick shafted and heavily barbed arrow hit the snow near her feet. Janeway tried again with a more than hint of urgency in her voice. Her response was the same, nothing. "Damn, the Hakonene signal booster must be down. Looks like we should do as they suggest."  
  
Her companion heartily agreed. "Right behind you Captain."  
  
Not knowing which way they should go, they trusted their hosts had some idea how to get away from their pursuers and waited with more than a little apprehension until the two men reached them and then joined them in their foot race.  
  
Breathless, one of the men spoke to Janeway as they ran, "Follow us. There's a cavern entrance not far from here. We'll be safe there."  
  
Meanwhile, their pursuers had gained some ground on them and their arrow shots were getting alarmingly close. B'Elanna heard one whiz past her ear and tried to control her inherent Klingon tendency to turn and face their attackers. Now would not be the time. Outnumbered, and without weapons of any kind, it would be suicide.  
  
They had been running for what felt like forever when they noticed they were rapidly approaching a small rise in the landscape. Their companions seemed to be headed right for it. As they approached, they could see it was one of the openings to the underground world, although where it would bring them in was anyone's guess. It also appeared not much more than a large dark hole in the snow with no obvious bottom.  
  
The leader of the group spoke to Janeway again as they ran. "When we get to the entrance, you must follow us very closely. Understood?"  
  
"Do we have choice?" Janeway didn't really expect an answer to her question, and it was lost to the howling of the wind anyway.  
  
Once more they noticed a fresh barrage of arrows as they approached the cavern entrance. The Hakonene leader reached inside his parka, and suddenly the complete blackness of the entrance was replaced with dim light allowing them to barely make out a rocky path leading down and away from the surface.  
  
The two men moved rapidly to the far side of the entrance in order to take the appropriate path into the opening. Janeway could clearly see that to approach in any other manner would be treacherous. There was a steep drop on the side that they had originally approached.  
  
Unfortunately, their slight hesitation to get into the proper position was enough to allow the chase group to gain ground. The Hakonene descended quickly into the darkness motioning for the women to follow. As she and B'Elanna headed for the opening, Janeway looked up momentarily to see their pursuers preparing to release one final volley of arrows in their direction. As the deadly projectiles were discharged, Janeway grabbed her junior officer and unceremoniously shoved her through the opening.  
  
=/\=  
  
Once inside the cavern, the leader turned toward the entrance that was now several meters above them and placed his hand inside his parka again. As he did so, a wave of blackness, reminding Janeway of the appearance of an oil slick, slid back into place, effectively blocking the opening to anyone on the surface.  
  
"Who are they?" Janeway exclaimed, breathless.  
  
As they continued down a narrow path and farther into the cavern, the leader answered, "They're called the Veret. They live on the shores of the ocean to the south in a somewhat more moderate climate. But since they live on the surface they have a very hard life. They have developed little technology of their own and seem to be highly suspicious of ours. Sometimes they form raiding parties and travel several hundred kilometers to see if they can scavenge from our supplies. That is why we have such an elaborate defense system. The Veret raiding parties are ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Before we were able to establish the defense system, many outlying cavern settlements were attacked, their possessions taken, their dwellings burned and their people massacred."  
  
The group was rapidly approaching a fairly large, open area that had a sandy floor strewn with a handful of small boulders. There was a dim light permeating the darkness in shafts from fingerlike openings in the cavern ceiling above them. From Janeway's viewpoint, all of these were too small and too high to allow access into the cavern itself. Based on this, she surmised they were safe, for the moment anyway.  
  
The second Hakonene with them finally spoke. "This will be a good place to rest."  
  
"Good idea, I feel like I've been running a marathon." she said, still somewhat breathless from the exertion of the run, her heart pounding in her chest. "How about you B'Elanna?" She didn't receive an answer to her question and turned around expecting her chief engineer to be right behind her. When her eyes had adjusted somewhat to the change in the light level back up the path, she noticed B'Elanna was still quite far behind them. She had stopped, and was leaning heavily against a boulder.  
  
"Lieutenant?" Janeway called somewhat louder. She still received no answer, and in the gloom, she could see B'Elanna push herself upright and continue down the path, something obviously wrong, her movements far too awkward and slow.  
  
Janeway immediately ran back up the path. "B'Elanna, what is it?" she said as she reached her side.  
  
B'Elanna wobbled back and forth while trying to maintain her balance. "My leg." she whispered breathlessly.  
  
Janeway's eyes moved rapidly, searching, and within seconds she caught sight of a Veret arrow piercing the fabric on both sides of B'Elanna's right calf. "Take it easy B'Elanna..." was all she could think to say for the moment as she reached her arms out and helped to support her still wobbly junior officer.  
  
Janeway turned and looked over her shoulder to find the other two in their party to solicit help and was pleased to see they had followed her back up the path. "Help me get her down to the clearing." The two men nodded and helped Janeway gently lift B'Elanna and carry her down the path.  
  
When they reached a more open area, Janeway removed her parka, folded it in half, and used it to cushion one of the larger boulders as they leaned the Lieutenant against it. She then turned back to B'Elanna placing one hand on her arm. "I have to take a look at closer look at this." she said.  
  
Torres bit her lip and nodded.  
  
Kneeling in the dirt, Janeway moved to a position where she could get a better look at just how much damage the arrow had done. Veret arrows were short but sturdy, designed to handle the stresses of being fired from a powerful crossbow. This one had struck B'Elanna in the calf, the arrowhead passing clean through but leaving the shaft lodged in her leg and the feathers sticking out the other side.  
  
Ever so gently, Janeway tore the material of B'Elanna's slacks around the arrow to make a true assessment of the damage, the blood soaked fabric now appearing shiny around the wound. After taking a good look, Janeway determined that while the wound certainly wasn't life threatening, it was bleeding quite heavily, and was obviously more than a little painful. But regardless of how it appeared, she needed to get B'Elanna back to the ship for medical attention as soon as possible. Standing, she reached her right hand across her chest she tapped her combadge. "Janeway to Voyager, come in please."  
  
"It won't work here."  
  
B'Elanna and Janeway both turned their heads to look toward the voice. They had all but forgotten about the two men with them for a moment. It was the Hakonene leader who had spoken. "We are in a remote section of the caverns. The perimeter shielding is stronger here because these areas are less traveled and not as heavily patrolled. The field intensity will prevent your communication devices from functioning."  
  
"Well, that helps explain why we couldn't communicate with the ship on the surface in this area either." said Janeway. "So how do we get out of here? My officer needs medical attention."  
  
The leader looked genuinely sympathetic. "We are several kilometers from the main cavern area. There are only two ways to get there. One is by the surface, which will probably not be safe to attempt for some time. The risk of attack is too great, even if your Lieutenant were in any condition to attempt such a journey. The only viable alternative is the route through the tunnels. While the shorter and less dangerous choice, it is an arduous journey. Even for someone in good physical condition."  
  
"What do you suggest?" inquired Janeway, her voice impatient.  
  
"Lieutenant Torres is in no condition to travel and it would appear that you should stay here to look after her. You will be better able to assist her than either of us. And as we know the way, we can travel faster alone."  
  
Janeway was not at all happy with the situation. "How long is this going to take?"  
  
"Under the best conditions, two hours to get to the central cavern."  
  
"And under the worst?" B'Elanna chimed in, beads of sweat running down the sides of her face.  
  
Janeway looked thoughtfully at B'Elanna and then turned to the leader and continued "Very well then, we'll wait here, I assume I can count on you to hurry."  
  
The leader bowed to her out of respect and as he started to move off in the direction of the path through the tunnel, the Hakonene engineer moved over next to Janeway and pulled her away from Torres for a moment. He handed her what looked to be a small torch devise. "Use this to start a fire. You will find several grasses and small shrubs a short distance down the path. Even though green, they will burn." He also handed her two metal containers of water and removed his coat to leave it with her as well, saying only, "To make her more comfortable. And there is a small stream in the area near the grasses if you need more water. It is safe to drink."  
  
"Thank you." Janeway said to him, honestly grateful.  
  
"We will be back as soon as we can, I give you my word." and with that he was gone.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway stood collecting her thoughts for only a moment before returning to B'Elanna's side. Looking closely at the Lieutenant when she reached her, she noticed that she had closed her eyes tightly and was beginning to look noticeably pale, even in the dim light of the cave. "B'Elanna, are you alright?"  
  
B'Elanna was far from alright, but she wasn't about to appear weak to her commanding officer, even if she had in truth spent the last minute or two trying to relax and prevent herself from passing out. Blinking her eyes several times, she finally responded. "I'm here, as for alright, I'm still reserving judgement." Then she took a deep breath, grimaced and dropped her chin to her chest.  
  
"What do you say we get you sitting down so I can do something about that leg of yours? I'll be able to do more to help you when I'm not worried you're going to fall over on me." she said, hoping to lighten the mood.  
  
The two women smiled at each other as the Captain helped her chief engineer sit down, making her as comfortable as possible with her back now resting against the boulder.  
  
Janeway generally avoided sentimentality with the crew. It was easier to be Voyager's commanding officer that way. But they had all been through a lot together and were more of a family than she would ever have thought possible. Lately, B'Elanna had been the wayward child, straining the relationship between them. But right now, she needed support and encouragement. Resting her hand against B'Elanna's arm and looking deeply into her dark eyes Janeway said, "Everything's going to be fine B'Elanna, you just take it easy and I'll take care of this, okay?"  
  
B'Elanna simply nodded, beads of seat still making their way down her face and neck, her expression giving evidence to just how much pain she was really in. Klingon or not, she was having a hard time.  
  
"I'm going to have to put a tourniquet on this to slow the bleeding." stated Janeway with clinical precision, already shifting into command mode in order to think her way carefully and methodically through what needed to be done.  
  
B'Elanna nodded again, silently giving permission for the Captain to proceed, even if she really didn't require it.  
  
Squeezing B'Elanna's arm one last time, Janeway repositioned herself so she could work on the wounded leg. She began by removing her jacket and turtleneck and tearing one of the sleeves from the shirt. "B'Elanna, do you still have your tool kit?"  
  
Torres replied, "Yes Captain." and reached inside her parka to retrieve the article in question, handing it to Janeway.  
  
"Thank you." Janeway said as she took the kit. Reaching inside she removed a small laser cutter and a mining probe with a long slender handle. Once she had what she needed, she carefully lifted B'Elanna's injured leg from the ground, wrapped her shirt sleeve just above knee, and used the mining probe to tighten the tourniquet as much as she felt safe, constantly checking on B'Elanna's expression as she did so and observing that although B'Elanna had to be in a great deal of pain, she managed to keep most outward displays of discomfort to a minimum.  
  
When the Captain was finished tying the tourniquet in place, she set the leg back on down, gently resting it on the coat the Hakonene had left behind. She patted B'Elanna's thigh and spoke. "There, that should hold you for a few minutes. How do you feel?"  
  
"Great, just great Captain." B'Elanna's voice was positively dripping with sarcasm. She was expending a great deal of energy to keep her temper in check. While she was in pain, what was really bothering her was the fact that she had gotten shot, subsequently incapacitated, and now someone else was being inconvenienced because of it. Quite possibly they may both have been put in danger because of it as well. To make matters worse, she was uncomfortable being dependent on the Captain, a woman she generally felt uncomfortable around these days as it was. Plainly put, she was angry, and an angry Klingon was far more cantankerous than an injured one.  
  
As far as Janeway was concerned, B'Elanna's mild outburst was not a surprise. The engineer had been far to quiet for the last few minutes, given the circumstances. "Look, I know this is all highly frustrating and uncomfortable, I'm sorry about that. But you really need to try to relax. It'll be easier on both of us." Janeway said, again fixing her intense blue eyes directly on B'Elanna's. "Now, I need to gather some things before I can treat this, will you be alright for a few minutes?" Interpreting B'Elanna's silence as a yes, she rose to her feet and went about gathering grasses and wood for a fire.  
  
Using the laser cutter, she was able to amass quite a large pile of fuel in a very short time. Returning to B'Elanna with her arms full, she set everything down on the ground as close as she felt was safe and set to building a fire. Within minutes, and with the help of the torch given to her by the Hakonene engineer, she had a modest but effective fire burning. Then she placed one of the containers of water near the fire to heat.  
  
The next step was to make more bandages, so she began tearing the rest of her shirt into long strips of material. The arrow needed to be removed and the wound cauterized. It was the only way Janeway knew to control the bleeding given the uncertain timeline of their rescue and their limited resources.  
  
As she made her final preparations, her mind wandered a little. She was quite concerned about B'Elanna and their situation. She wasn't a doctor. She could only do so much. And the fact that they were alone, without weapons or communication made things that much worse. They'd just have to do the best they could and hope for a swift rescue.  
  
As she finished with the bandages, she became aware of movement behind her. Turning, she noticed that B'Elanna was trying to shift positions and appeared extremely uncomfortable. Moving to her side one again, she observed B'Elanna was still perspiring, quite heavily, and was starting to shiver. Reaching out to place her hand on her forehead, she also registered that her skin felt cool to the touch.  
  
Trying desperately to get more comfortable, B'Elanna was beginning to feel cold even though she was still in her parka. She'd been sitting with her eyes closed, her head resting against the boulder, trying to take her mind off of her predicament. Her eyes fluttered open as she felt the Captain place her hand on her forehead. Once she was able to focus, she found herself staring into the profoundly concerned eyes of her commanding officer.  
  
"I think it's time we got you lying down Lieutenant." Janeway said as she pulled her hand away from B'Elanna's forehead, sliding it gently to the side of her face in a gesture of comfort, and then to her neck to check her pulse.  
  
Torres struggled to shift her position, her back somewhat uncomfortable against the boulder, even leaning against a parka. The gentleness and concern in Janeway's touch surprised her. In all their time together on Voyager, this was the first time that they had been in a situation like this. Alone, out of contact with the ship, with one of them hurt, she was getting to see a side of her captain that she really had not observed before.  
  
The two women had certainly had their share of discussions and disagreements over the years on Voyager. Interestingly enough they seemed to have come full circle and then taken a decidedly antagonistic tangent. From the first day when Torres had wanted to physically attack Janeway for stranding them in the Delta Quadrant, to their heated discussions around the time B'Elanna took over as Chief Engineer, they had survived a rocky start to eventually establish a kind of cautiously respectful mentoring relationship. Their conversations during that period had been thoughtful, informative and supportive of one another.  
  
Then things began to change, and B'Elanna couldn't clearly identify when or why. Their relationship over the last year or so had slowly trended back toward the way they had been in the beginning, but with a decidedly more hostile undertone. Recent events had fostered a deeper resentment toward the Captain than had previously been evident.  
  
Looking into her captain's eyes now, she saw nothing there but warmth and concern. "Aye Captain." she replied, finally giving in to how she felt and allowing someone else to care for her.  
  
Janeway recognized resignation in B'Elanna's tone, but something else she couldn't quite identify came through her eyes. Whatever it was, she interpreted it as a good sign and began to make the Lieutenant more comfortable. First, she pulled B'Elanna gently forward toward her and helped her remove her parka. Next, she grabbed her own parka and laid it on the ground. Turning B'Elanna slightly to one side where she could lay flat on the ground, she helped her lie down, used her uniform jacket as a pillow, and then covered her with her own parka. "You should warm up soon, the fire will help." she said as she tucked the parka around her. Then she carefully straightened B'Elanna's legs, again using the Hakonene's coat to prop them up.  
  
"Thanks." B'Elanna replied.  
  
Janeway could plainly see the struggle in the Lieutenant's eyes and had to admit she was impressed with the steely determination the woman was exhibiting not to show any weakness. Unfortunately for both of them, it was quite possible that she would need that determination for some time yet. "B'Elanna, I'm going to have to remove that arrow. I'm afraid I won't be able to control the bleeding otherwise. Every time you move it does more damage, and we have no idea what we might be up against before we're rescued."  
  
B'Elanna thought she saw just the briefest hint of uncertainty in the Captain's eyes, but it was there and gone so quickly she couldn't be sure she hadn't imagined it. "I'm not going anywhere." was her terse response. Thinking things over for a moment, she then decided to offer something to her captain for the first time in a very long time, "Go ahead, it's okay, I trust you." she said in a weak but sincere voice.  
  
Janeway looked intently at her and smiled warmly, resting a hand briefly on B'Elanna's leg again. "We're in this together, whatever happens, okay?"  
  
B'Elanna smiled back and closed her eyes.  
  
Janeway forced the last of her uncertainty to the back of her mind and began to make preparations for what must be done. She began by retrieving the engineering kit. She set the laser cutter on the ground, then pulled out another small tool. Laying it across a nearby rock, she took a second smaller stone and striking the tool several times, she managed to break off a blunt strip of metal approximately fifteen centimeters in length and four centimeters in width. Returning to the fire, she placed the blunt end of the metal strip in the fire with the other end leaning against a rock around the perimeter. Then she retrieved the now hot water from the fire and returned to the lieutenant's side.  
  
Janeway was a capable field medic, several years in the Delta Quadrant, and a myriad of previous experiences during her years in Starfleet making that almost a necessity. She knew that the wound was not going to stop bleeding on its own, and that it would be necessary to try to stop it to buy them time. It could be hours before the Hakonene returned. Finally ready, she returned to crouch beside B'Elanna, leaning her forearms on her bent knees.  
  
Instinctively realizing someone was looking at her, B'Elanna slowly opened her eyes. For several long seconds, the two women simply stared at each other. Janeway eventually broke the silence. "Ready?"  
  
B'Elanna nodded in spite of herself and Janeway began laying everything she needed out on the ground. Within a few moments, she was ready. Once again, she and her chief engineer made eye contact. "This is likely to hurt B'Elanna, I'm sorry."  
  
"I know." B'Elanna said, and then closed her eyes and pressed her head into the material of Janeway's jacket, hardening herself against the inevitable discomfort.  
  
Janeway began by cutting a long slit in the leg of B'Elanna's slacks high enough to enable her to peel the material away from the arrow and provide a clear area in which to work. Next, she used some of the bandaging material from her shirt, dipped in warm water, to clean the wound as best she could. Through the process, B'Elanna Torres remained largely still, her fists clenched tightly, an occasional low moan emanating from between her pursed lips.  
  
Veret arrowheads were approximately four centimeters in total length and a little over two centimeters at the widest point. There were four separate edges that came together at the point. Each one of those edges was covered with small barbs, ensuring as much damage to the victim as possible. This one had certainly lived up to its reputation.  
  
Janeway finished the easiest part of the procedure quickly and then moved on to the next, and definitely the worst, step. For a brief moment, she observed the Lieutenant. She was still perspiring and was breathing heavily, but had seemed to relax somewhat during the momentary break.  
  
Wasting no time, Janeway retrieved the laser cutter and used the tool to slice the arrowhead completely from the shaft.  
  
The slight movement involved in this first step had caused B'Elanna a great deal of pain and she bit her lip silently against it. Her leg felt as if it were on fire and every few moments there was a sharp and intense pain that shot up the back of her calf muscle. If just moving the arrow was this uncomfortable, what was removing the damn thing completely likely to feel like? And while she knew she really had no interest in knowing, she was unavoidably about to find out.  
  
Doing her level best not to think about the discomfort she was causing, Janeway braced the leg as best she could and carefully but quickly pulled the remainder of the arrow out of B'Elanna's leg the way it had gone in. Within seconds, she was holding the offending weapon in her hand.  
  
B'Elanna gasped as the arrow slid from her assaulted flesh and saw stars forming before her eyes.  
  
Tossing the arrow aside, Janeway quickly used some of the water to rinse the excess blood away, and taking another strip of cloth in her hand, she reached back to the fire to pick up the metal strip that was now red hot on one end. 'Hang on B'Elanna.' she thought to herself. She had to cauterize the wound and this was the only way she could think to do it. Without hesitation she slid the hot metal strip into both the entrance and exit wounds in rapid succession.  
  
When she had finished her work and pulled the metal strip away from B'Elanna's leg, she tossed it on the ground as well, immediately rinsing the wound one last time and covering both sides with cloth, folded into thick rectangles. Then she wrapped the other sleeve of her shirt around everything to hold it in place.  
  
Looking back at her patient, she spoke, "All done B'Elanna." And then she stopped herself as she noticed B'Elanna's head leaning heavily to one side. Her eyes were closed and her expression almost peaceful. Raising a hand to B'Elanna's neck to check for a pulse, she waited a second to find it, but it was there, strong and steady.  
  
The Captain then removed the tourniquet, and for the next few minutes watched for any signs of excessive bleeding. Once satisfied that all looked fine for now, she gathered the bandaging material she had previously used, as well as the now near empty water container and headed for the stream. She washed everything in the cool water, filled the water container, and moved back to sit next to the fire where she could stay warm and watch B'Elanna at the same time, the chill dampness of the cavern finally making itself known to her exposed arms, now that her upper body was clothed only in her tank top.  
  
It didn't take long before she was shivering ever so slightly as she sat, and not entirely from the chill in the air. She would like nothing more than for Chakotay and Voyager to rush in and release them from their predicament. While some would probably be surprised, not the least of whom the officer with her on this away mission, Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager was not immune to the emotional effects of having to cause her junior officer additional pain, even if it was necessary, nor was she blind to the fact that they would probably have several hours to wait before help arrived, and she hated waiting almost more than anything else in life.  
  
Besides, would it really hurt to allow herself to acknowledge her uncertainty, if only for a brief period? She had doubts and second thoughts just like everyone else, but her years as a command officer, and her current position as Captain of a lost crew and the ultimate authority for Starfleet in the Delta Quadrant, made it impossible to allow them out of the carefully constructed compartment in her heart and mind very often.  
  
Time was their enemy right now. Without proper medical treatment, B'Elanna could suffer complications, and without weapons, and with their mobility severely impaired because of B'Elanna's injury, they were potentially vulnerable to the Veret. Drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping them in her arms, she stared into the flames of the fire. Taking a deep breath, she used her command presence and her years of experience to keep her negative thoughts in check and push them back to where they belonged. Planning for the worst was appropriate, but worrying about it was unproductive at best.  
  
=/\=  
  
Some time later, and unbeknownst to Janeway, B'Elanna had come around and was now observing her captain sitting by the fire. Janeway's head was turned away so she could not see that her companion was awake. B'Elanna thought the Captain's position made her appear somewhat like an anxious child. It was an image she would never have believed she could associate with the woman in question.  
  
While observing Janeway, she began to relive the events of their escape from the Veret. In particular she remembered being roughly shoved through the cavern opening. One thing that was standing out loud and clear was that the Captain had pushed her out of the way at the risk of her own safety. She must have seen the last volley of arrows coming. And even though B'Elanna had been struck in the leg, that unselfish act may have saved her life. She had originally been in the most vulnerable spot at the back of the group and would have been the last one below ground had Janeway not intervened. While they would never know for sure, it didn't matter.  
  
Turning her head away from Janeway for a moment, she noticed a small piece of cloth lying in the dirt beside her, something on it glinting in the flickering firelight. Quietly reaching her hand and arm out from under her parka, she grasped the material with two fingers and pulled it to her. As soon as she had it completely in her hand, she knew what she had, even before she opened her hand and glanced at it. It was a strip of material from the discarded collar of Janeway's turtleneck, four shiny captain's pips attached in a neat row across one side. It seemed odd to B'Elanna that the Captain would so easily discard the very thing that made her different from the rest of them. But maybe, just maybe, there was more to it than that.  
  
With everything they had been through lately, with everything that B'Elanna had faced, even with the way she had treated the Captain after her own brush with death, it had made no difference. Janeway had willingly risked her life. In her mind she was having a difficult time understanding why the Captain would put herself at risk for someone who felt less than worthy of such a sacrifice. She lie there for some time, her thoughts in turmoil, unconsciously sliding her thumb across the pips in her hand, until she could stand it no longer.  
  
Slipping the strip of material in the pocket of her parka, she pulled herself together and attempted to sit up. Lifting the parka that covered her, she placed her hands to either side and began to pull her lower body back along the ground until she was resting, albeit somewhat awkwardly, against the same boulder she had used as a back rest before.  
  
=/\=  
  
The sound of B'Elanna's movement brought Kathryn Janeway out of her own reverie and she slid herself over next to the engineer to help her get more comfortable.  
  
She was more than willing to acknowledge just how complex her relationship with her chief engineer had been of late. That was precisely why she insisted that B'Elanna accompany her on this mission. She sincerely hoped that their time together would provide an opportunity to put the recent past far behind them and get back on the right track, both professionally and personally. There was only one problem, B'Elanna getting shot, and the two of them getting stranded in a cave, wasn't what she had in mind for an excuse for quality time between the two. And she sincerely hoped it would not turn out to be more than their fragile relationship could bear.  
  
Janeway set B'Elanna's parka behind her and then helped her lean against the boulder again. "Welcome back, Lieutenant."  
  
"Thanks, I think." replied B'Elanna. "Captain, could I have some water please?"  
  
"Sure, just a minute." Janeway reached around to her other side and picked up one of the water containers. She turned back to B'Elanna and opened the cap and handed it to her but kept her grip on the bottom of the container as B'Elanna's hand was visibly trembling.  
  
B'Elanna took several easy sips and then stopped. "Thanks." she said swallowing. Then, "How long was I out?"  
  
Janeway recapped the water container and set it aside as she answered the question. "Not that long at all, only about an hour."  
  
"Any word from Voyager or the Hakonene?"  
  
"No, not yet. But then it's probably too soon to hope for that. By the way, how are you feeling?"  
  
"I think I'll live."  
  
"Good." said Janeway as she reached over with her hand and placed it gently on the Lieutenant's forehead and then her neck. "You seem to be back to normal now. You were showing some signs of shock earlier and I was worried. How's the pain?"  
  
"Tolerable." said B'Elanna closing her eyes.  
  
"Why don't I believe you?" Janeway sneered and rolled her eyes, looking as skeptical as she sounded.  
  
Torres opened her eyes again and looked at her with a hint of impatience in her expression, the situation momentarily getting the best of her. "Do I have a choice?"  
  
"No I guess you don't. I am sorry about that. Believe me. I really hated to have to cause you any more pain, but there was no other way."  
  
Realizing that her tone of voice had probably implied something to the Captain that she didn't mean, she smiled and spoke softly "I understand. You did what you had to and I'm grateful."  
  
"Thanks, that helps. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't enjoy torturing my crewmembers. Let's just hope we can get back to Voyager soon so the Doctor can take proper care of you." Janeway then moved to check on the bandages again. She noticed that there was a good deal more blood on the cloth than before, but it didn't look too bad. She decided to simply add another layer of material and retighten the binding. "I have to work on this bandage a little."  
  
"Whatever you say doc." replied Torres. While Janeway worked, B'Elanna kept talking trying to distract herself from her discomfort. "You know, if you keep this up, you might give Tom a run for his money as a medic when we get back, that is if you decide that your current job isn't interesting enough." Then she winced and blew out a heavy breath at a sudden sharp pain.  
  
"I'm not sure Tom would appreciate the competition." Janeway said with a chuckle. She managed to get through the exercise fairly quickly and without causing any more stress than necessary to her engineer, but she could tell it had still been uncomfortable for her.  
  
During the pause in the conversation, Janeway offered her more water and B'Elanna accepted it gratefully. Watching her while she drank, and shortly thereafter, Janeway noticed that she looked very tired. She was probably forcing herself to override the signals her body was sending her. But even a Klingon could only hope to accomplish this feat for so long. "B'Elanna, you look tired, why don't you get some sleep? I'm sure it will still be a while until the Hakonene return."  
  
B'Elanna knew the Captain was right, she really shouldn't fight the way she felt, and right now, even though she had been conscious for only a few minutes, she was fighting an overwhelming urge to sleep. "Alright, you win."  
  
"I didn't realize it was a competition." Janeway said with a smile and a slight shake of her head. "Just rest. I'll let you know if anyone shows up to take us home."  
  
With that, B'Elanna rested her head back and slowly closed her eyes, but at least this time it was voluntary.  
  
TBC 


	2. Part 2

At Face Value - Part 2  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 2  
  
Commander's Chakotay and Tuvok were beginning to get concerned about the two women that had transported to the planet several hours earlier. It was now thirty minutes beyond the time they were supposed to check in with the ship and there had been no word from them or from the Hakonene representatives they were to meet. Chakotay had been sitting in his chair on the bridge reading reports and handling the day to day routine of a starship for some time. Now that most of the work was done, he was preoccupied with the fact that there had been no communication with the Captain. "Harry, have we had any communication from the Captain yet?"  
  
"No Sir. Nothing so far." replied the Ensign. It was the fifth time in the last half and hour that Chakotay had asked that question, even though he was well aware of the answer.  
  
"Commander Tuvok, what do you make of the fact that the Captain is now quite late for her appointed check in?" he asked, knowing full well the answer to his question.  
  
Tuvok had been as concerned as Chakotay in his own way and was on the verge of saying something himself. The First Officer had just given him the opportunity he needed. "Commander, as you know, Captain Janeway is not normally lax in following procedure, especially one she has established. While we cannot assume that something has gone wrong, I would think it wise to try to contact her."  
  
"A highly logical suggestion Tuvok, and exactly what I was thinking." Chakotay turned his attention back to his operations officer. "Harry, hail the Hakonene and ask for permission to speak with the Captain."  
  
"Aye sir." Harry's hands moved deftly over the controls as he sent a standard hail to the Hakonene government. "Message received and acknowledged Commander. They are contacting the Captain's team."  
  
"Very good." replied the Commander, and they all settled back to wait for a reply.  
  
Several minutes passed before Harry identified an incoming message. "Commander, the Hakonene ambassador is returning our hail."  
  
"On screen." As the image appeared on the view screen in front of him, Chakotay rose from his seat and approached the center of the bridge. "Greetings Ambassador, but I was hoping to communicate with our Captain."  
  
The Ambassador spoke evenly, "I'm afraid that's not possible."  
  
Chakotay remained outwardly calm, "And why would that be?"  
  
"We are currently under attack by the Veret, an enemy who resides to the south. I am truly sorry Commander, but I'm afraid your captain and chief engineer apparently transported into an area that was under siege when they arrived. We have lost contact with the team that your officers were to meet. I can only assume that they encountered a raiding party. We were unaware of the danger or I assure you we would have taken steps."  
  
Chakotay exchanged a brief but very meaningful glance with Tom Paris at the helm. "Ambassador." Chakotay interrupted as he adjusted his posture to stand ramrod straight and took two more steps forward toward the viewscreen, "Where are our people?" he asked in as stern a tone as possible without becoming obviously threatening.  
  
The Ambassador looked somewhat apologetic when he answered, "Unfortunately we do not know Commander. We have not been in contact with our team for several hours now. There is any number of possibilities as to what could have happened. I would suggest that we not speculate until we have more information to go on."  
  
"May I ask what measures are being taken to get that information?" Chakotay was now barely concealing his impatience, but diplomacy was still the best course of action, at least for the moment.  
  
"I'm sorry to say that we have been unable to get a team to the surface to investigate. That area is now swarming with Veret. It would be extremely hazardous to enter the area at this time even if we had a patrol available to send out. We are experiencing attacks to our perimeter defenses and must concentrate our forces on preventing a full-scale assault should those defenses be breached. The Veret have managed to infiltrate our shield generator through a surface tunnel and have disabled several large sectors of the perimeter grid. We are trying desperately to regain control of the generator to re-establish our security grid. I'm sorry to say that we cannot hope to send a search team until we have the situation under control. Again, I am sorry Commander."  
  
"Ambassador, I cannot offer to assist you in your conflict as we have a strict policy of non-interference. However, under the circumstances, I must insist that you authorize us to conduct a search of our own."  
  
"Given the circumstances, I will grant you permission to send a search party to the surface. But you must understand that it will be at your own risk. I will need you to provide us with the number of people in your team."  
  
Chakotay was pleased he was getting what he needed from the Ambassador to launch a search. There was just one small detail remaining, "Ambassador, I must insist that we be allowed to protect ourselves. That will require us to bring weapons."  
  
The Ambassador considered this request carefully and for a lengthy period of time before responding. "Very well, but you will be allowed only one of your hand weapons for each member of your team. I'm sure you must understand that we must limit the possibility that your technology will fall into enemy hands. Keep in mind that your scanning and communication devices will still not function properly."  
  
"I understand." Chakotay was already formulating a plan in his mind for the search. "I will contact you again when we are ready to send a team to the surface. Please keep us informed if you hear anything about our officers."  
  
"Rest assured Commander, I will immediately pass on any information that comes to me. And Commander, I will hope that you find your officers alive and well."  
  
"Thank you Ambassador. Voyager out." As soon as the screen went blank, Chakotay began to give orders. "Tuvok, assemble the staff in the briefing room in thirty minutes. I'll be in the Captain's ready room until then."  
  
"Aye sir." said Tuvok. And as Chakotay made his was to the ready room, the bridge became unusually quiet as the rest of the bridge crew dealt with their own personal concerns for their captain and chief engineer, in particular, the officer at the helm.  
  
=/\=  
  
After B'Elanna had gone to sleep, Janeway left to search their surroundings as far as she thought was safe. She had discovered that the Hakonene had not been kidding about an arduous journey. She had followed the trail they had taken farther into the tunnel and had discovered that it rapidly became incredibly rocky and steep. She hoped they had not underestimated the time it would take to negotiate their way back to the central cavern. During her travels she had also come across several other passages leading in different directions. While curious about where they led, she was not willing to wander too far from B'Elanna should she be needed.  
  
She spent about three hours wandering the tunnels, periodically retracing her steps to check in on the Lieutenant, always finding her still asleep. After exploring as far as she thought was safe, she headed back to the fire.  
  
Upon returning, she added more grass and wood to the flames, cleaned up their makeshift campsite, and sat down at B'Elanna's side. Within a few minutes she noticed the Lieutenant stirring beside her.  
  
Once her eyes adjusted to the light, B'Elanna found the Captain sitting next to her leaning against the same boulder. "Have you been here the whole time I was asleep?"  
  
"No, I actually just sat down a few minutes ago. I was exploring our surroundings. It's actually been several hours since you were awake last."  
  
"No word from the Hakonene?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, no. And I'm beginning to get concerned. They should have made it to the central cavern and be on their way back by now, but if they had to return by the same route, it might still be a while. I saw the trail they went down, it looks pretty dangerous. We'll just have to be patient.  
  
"Did you think to bring along a deck of cards?" B'Elanna said with a lopsided smile.  
  
"Glad to see you still have a sense of humor. How do you feel?"  
  
The Lieutenant shifted herself to sit up slightly higher against the rock. While uncomfortable, she was happy to see that she could manage to move around better, the rest obviously renewing some of her strength. "Better, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a round of Velocity just yet."  
  
"I have no doubt you'd rise to the challenge if necessary." As she helped B'Elanna get a drink of water, Janeway was again silently grateful for the tenacity of the young woman before her. It certainly made an incredibly difficult situation much easier to deal with. She knew that B'Elanna was in pain, and had to be generally very uncomfortable, not to mention probably harboring a lot of mixed feelings about the whole situation, yet she was doing her level best not to show it. Quite a change from the belligerent, troubled young woman she had displayed on the ship of late.  
  
In the back of Janeway's mind was the thought that the treatment she had provided may have bought them time, but that was all. B'Elanna certainly wouldn't recover without real medical attention. The Captain was confident that she could get herself out of this, but she would not leave her junior officer alone willingly. She hoped and prayed that help would come before she was forced to go find it on her own.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay walked into the briefing room promptly as expected to find the rest of his officers already around the table. Harry, Tom, Tuvok, the Doctor and Seven were all seated, waiting to hear what he had in mind to try to find the Janeway and B'Elanna.  
  
As he moved to the monitor on the wall to the side of the briefing room, he began to discuss his plan. "As you all know by now, Captain Janeway and Lieutenant Torres are missing on the planet. They and the Hakonene team they were supposed to meet are presumed lost in the area of a Veret raid. We know nothing of this race other than the limited information that the Hakonene have provided. I will expect all of you to familiarize yourselves with this information as soon as this meeting is completed."  
  
Tom was extremely impatient to know what the Chakotay had in mind and chose to force the issue. "Commander, aren't we going after them? They may be in danger or hurt somewhere and need our help."  
  
Tom and B'Elanna had a very close romantic relationship. If Chakotay had been out of contact with someone he cared about that much, he would be upset as well. But while he and Captain Janeway did not have a romantic relationship, he most certainly understood how Tom felt. In his own way, he was as concerned for Kathryn as Tom was for B'Elanna, not to mention that B'Elanna was also one of his closest friends, but part of being in command meant that he had to keep his and everyone else's emotions in check. "Tom, I have every intention of sending a team after them. But we all need to be as informed as possible about what we may be up against if we expect to be successful. Tuvok, I want you and the Doctor to form a team and go down to the surface after them."  
  
Tom spoke up again. "But Commander, I thought that I.."  
  
"Easy Tom, I want you and Harry to take the Delta Flyer. Get as close to the surface as you possibly can, but stay out of visual range of any of the Veret on the surface. We don't want them to panic, especially if the Captain and B'Elanna have been taken by them. Your job will be to try to relay communications between the away team and Voyager, and to search for our missing officer's comm signals. I'm hoping you will have better luck than we've had on Voyager due to the proximity to the surface. Seven, I'll need you on the bridge to handle our scans and communications in Harry's absence."  
  
"Very well." Seven was glad her expertise would be used in the search in some way as well. She was also concerned about the missing officers and wanted to help find them.  
  
"Alright people, you have one hour to make any necessary preparations and study the information that the Hakonene have provided. Tuvok, I want your team assembled in transporter room two and ready to beam to the Captain's transport site at that time. Hand phasers only for weapons."  
  
"Aye Sir."  
  
Turning from Tuvok to the two younger officers at that table, he made eye contact with them. "Harry and Tom, I want you ready to launch at the same time."  
  
Both of them nodded their acknowledgement of his orders.  
  
"That's it then. Let's bring our officers home. Dismissed."  
  
=/\=  
  
B'Elanna and the Captain had been talking quietly for some time when B'Elanna's Klingon instincts alerted her to possible danger. "Captain, I think we have company." she said softly.  
  
"From what direction?" asked Janeway.  
  
"That's the problem, not the direction I would have expected. It seems to be coming from the same direction we entered, the surface."  
  
The Captain tried to sound optimistic "Maybe our Hakonene companions made it and have brought back help from the outside."  
  
"Possible, but I've got a bad feeling about this."  
  
"Well, there's nowhere to hide, and they would soon track us down if we tried to run. Better to take our chances facing whoever it is head on. You stay put, I need to clean up a bit and hide anything that may link us directly to the Hakonene, just in case." The Captain said, grabbing her jacket and donning it quickly as she put the camp in order.  
  
B'Elanna wished there was something she could do and began to try to rise to her feet in spite of her captain's order.  
  
Janeway noticed her attempt to rise and immediately stopped her. "B'Elanna, I thought I told you to say put? I don't want to take the chance of aggravating that leg more than necessary. Sit down."  
  
"Yes Ma'am." B'Elanna replied, sounding apologetic.  
  
Janeway's tone had left no room for argument and she knew it, staring intently at her junior officer as she zipped her jacket and placed a few extra bandages inside it. Then she hid the laser cutter in her boot and quickly gathered any possibly suspicious items and stuffed them behind a rock.  
  
She had just finished when a group of five Veret came out of the shadows of the tunnel and surrounded them. Five vicious looking arrows like the one that had injured B'Elanna were pointed directly at them. "Who are you?" snarled the apparent leader of the group. "You do not look like the Hakonene." He focused his gaze on B'Elanna and then back to the Captain.  
  
The Hakonene and the Veret were similar in appearance to humans. The Hakonene had cranial ridges and another pronounced pair of ridges from the base of their ears toward their neck. Most of the Hakonene that they had met also had dark to light brown hair and dark eyes.  
  
The Veret were considerably more human in appearance with the exception that they were much larger on average. They all had extremely dark hair and eyes as well. Janeway and B'Elanna were dwarfed by comparison. By human, and particularly Klingon, standards both women were actually somewhat smaller than most. B'Elanna somewhat resembled the Hakonene, but in actuality Janeway was the most different from the Hakonene or the Veret, her lighter hair and blue eyes different than both. The Veret had obviously noticed the differences, but the similarities were enough that it did not unduly alarm them.  
  
The Universal Translator seemed to have little trouble with the language and Janeway had understood every word. Janeway stood straight and tall directly in front of the leader. "We are visitors here and lost our way in the storms on the surface. We are no threat to you."  
  
"I'll be the judge of that. Search them!" he said as he gave the order with a head movement so he could maintain his aim at Kathryn Janeway's throat.  
  
Janeway raised her chin in the air somewhat defiantly and amazingly maintained her position while a Veret raider jabbed her in the stomach in the process of roughly searching her for any weapons. Luckily he left her comm badge alone.  
  
"This one is injured, Jomar." said the raider nearest B'Elanna over his shoulder to the Veret leader as he dragged her to a standing position and searched her. Janeway saw her cringe, pitch her shoulders forward slightly, and bite her lip as she placed her weight on her injured leg.  
  
Janeway was both awed by B'Elanna's ability to retain her composure and infuriated by their rough treatment of one of her officers. Closing what little distance remained between her and the Veret leader, seemingly heedless of the cold metal arrowhead now pressed to her throat, she let her displeasure be known. "I will not tolerate any mistreatment of my friend."  
  
"You are very demanding for one so small." The leader said, glaring at her.  
  
B'Elanna felt lousy. Just standing up had her vision swimming. She knew they had no way of knowing how she had been injured, or how badly. These Veret had not recognized their clothing either. Therefore, there was every chance this was a different group than had chased them here. Knowing that, she took a chance. "I was injured when I fell in one of the tunnels, striking a sharp rock, I'm fine now."  
  
'Quick thinking B'Elanna.' thought Janeway. But she was acutely aware that the engineer was not fine at all, just a good actress with a tenacious streak.  
  
Janeway was pleased when the raider searching her finally finished and managed to overlook her boots. "No weapons on this one Jomar." the alien who searched her said.  
  
"None here either." said the raider with B'Elanna.  
  
"Good." said Jomar, never taking his attention from Janeway. "What business do you have with our enemies?" he asked her.  
  
Janeway thought quickly. She wasn't sure how much these people knew of space travel, given what their Hakonene companions had said earlier. "We came here from a far away land to trade. We lost our way. We were unaware there was a conflict here or we would have brought weapons of our own. If you let us leave, we will go in peace and never come here again."  
  
"I will think about it. Get your coverings," Jomar said as he pointed toward their parkas on the ground. "You will need them."  
  
Janeway recovered both of their parkas putting hers on first and then assisting the Lieutenant. They exchanged glances for a brief moment, "B'Elanna, can you walk?" asked Janeway quietly, concerned.  
  
"We're about to find out Captain." she said as she bit her lip, pulled herself completely upright, and slowly began to put one foot in front of the other as they were herded in the direction of one of the distant tunnels while one of the Veret kicked dirt on the remnants of their fire.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Chakotay to transporter room two. Commander Tuvok, is your team ready?"  
  
"Yes sir. We are ready to beam to the surface on your order." was Tuvok's crisp reply.  
  
"Transporter chief, energize."  
  
"Aye Sir." The transporter officer followed his orders with a smooth hand movement over the controls and the away team was gone with the customary patterns of light and energy.  
  
Chakotay then turned his attention to the team on the Flyer. "Delta Flyer, acknowledge."  
  
"We're here Commander." said Harry.  
  
"Your turn, get to it."  
  
"Aye Sir." Harry looked at Tom, "Well, let's go."  
  
Tom added to the transmission with the bridge. "We'll bring them back Commander."  
  
"I'm sure you will Ensign. Good luck." Chakotay had no doubt that they would bring them back. He just hoped it would be with both of them in one piece.  
  
TBC 


	3. Part 3

At Face Value - Part 3  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 3  
  
As they were shoved roughly through the doorway of a log hut and the door was closed loudly behind them, Janeway momentarily lost her grip on her chief engineer. B'Elanna's Herculean effort to remain on her feet had taken every ounce of energy she could summon and she was rapidly losing her battle with her shaky legs. She only moved far enough into the room so she could lean heavily on a table with her right hand.  
  
Janeway, seeing her distress, hurried back to her side and wrapped one arm around her back, slipping B'Elanna's arm over her shoulder to provide support. A position similar to the one they had been employing for the last part of their trip here from the cavern.  
  
Observing their surroundings, Janeway noticed that the room was sparsely furnished with two small cots, a table and a few chairs. Obviously someone had lived here at one time, as there were empty cupboards and shelves randomly placed around the room. There was also a large fireplace along the far wall in which someone had already lit a fire. More firewood was stacked along the side of the fireplace and on the table was a bucket containing what appeared to be water and a ladle.  
  
"Well, it could be worse I suppose." she said to B'Elanna as she led her to the cot in the corner closest to the fire and helped her to sit down.  
  
"I would think much worse. not a rat in sight anywhere." B'Elanna managed to say with a weak smile. She was breathing heavily and there was perspiration running down the sides of her face.  
  
They had traveled for over three hours from the time of their capture and she had put up quite a front. Their trek had taken them through the cavern for the first hour and then they had emerged to trudge through the ankle to knee deep snow on the surface for the remainder of the trip.  
  
The first hour had gone fairly well as the cavern floor was largely smooth and flat. But once they ventured outside into the snow, things had gotten progressively more difficult. At one point, B'Elanna had stumbled heavily, and Janeway, who had never been more than a step or two away just in case, made her way through the snow to her side to help. B'Elanna had raised her eyes and looked wearily at Janeway, the feel of her commanding officers arms around her more comforting that she would have liked to admit.  
  
"Here, let me help." Janeway had said.  
  
As they stood upright as one, B'Elanna gratefully accepted her captain's help and they had moved forward together. Now that they were behind closed doors, B'Elanna felt the last of her strength waning and didn't seem to have any trouble admitting it or accepting additional help.  
  
As Janeway helped her to sit down, both of them noticed that there was fresh blood staining the bandaging material on B'Elanna's calf and down her ankle disappearing under her boot. During the last long minutes of their walk, she felt blood inside it, but having no alternative but to press on, she had done her best to ignore it.  
  
Janeway sat on the end of the cot and as gently as she could she lifted B'Elanna's leg to rest across her lap. "I'm going to have to have to take a look at this."  
  
"Understood." B'Elanna said weakly, lying back against the wall.  
  
With incredible care, Janeway peeled back the material of B'Elanna's slacks from the bandages and then removed her boot and her bloody sock. Next, she loosened the bandaging until she could remove it completely. When she finally had the wounded area exposed, she frowned in dismay. The area was swollen and discolored and was continuing to ooze blood from both the entry and exit wounds. "This isn't looking good B'Elanna, I'm going to have to clean and dress this again, and I think it would be a good idea if we packed it in snow to reduce the swelling. I'll do the best I can, but I'm afraid it's likely to hurt."  
  
Looking at the Captain now, and considering everything that she had done for her since she had been hurt, B'Elanna could not fathom how she had been able to make this woman the focus of her recent anger. Janeway had practically carried her through the snow for the last hour of their journey. The woman was no larger in stature than B'Elanna, yet she seemed to possess an almost super human strength, both physically and mentally. She had to be exhausted and half frozen herself, but she never once exhibited anything but control. She was devoting herself to the comfort and safety of her chief engineer, plain and simple. B'Elanna felt she was seeing a facet of her commanding officer that she had never seen before, or had never acknowledged, at least not to this extent. She silently wondered if this was a face of Janeway that Chakotay saw and part of what had engendered his fierce loyalty to her, a loyalty that B'Elanna had never truly understood.  
  
"It's okay Captain. I'll manage." B'Elanna finally replied. And as Janeway went to work treating her, she leaned back and relaxed as much as she possibly could, putting her trust in the capable hands of her commanding officer once more.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay had acknowledged both of the teams as they reported in with their position. Tuvok's team was now fighting the wind and blowing snow on the surface. The Delta Flyer was circling over the search area, scanning for any human or Klingon life signs and was relaying the transmissions from Tuvok's team whenever possible. He sent a silent prayer to his ancestors that they would find them quickly.  
  
=/\=  
  
They had been behind locked doors for about an hour when Janeway heard someone trudging through the snow toward the door of the hut. She rose from her seat next to B'Elanna and moved to stand behind the door where she could look out a small window cut high in the door. She saw three figures approaching, a woman carrying a basket in her hands, and two Veret guards following behind her. When they got to the door, one of the guards moved around the woman and unlocked and opened the door to allow her entrance. Janeway stepped back enough so she wouldn't appear threatening to the guards and was pleased to see that even though they remained in the open doorway, only the woman entered.  
  
The woman entered and moved to the table where she set down the basket she was carrying. "I have brought you something to eat." she said. Then she noticed B'Elanna lying on the cot by the fire and inquired about her, "Is your companion ill?"  
  
"She is sleeping." then changing the subject as quickly as possible. "Thank you for the food."  
  
"Jomar insisted that you be well kept for now. I will express your thanks." With that the woman turned and left with the guards closing and locking the door behind them.  
  
Janeway took a few minutes to go through the basket that had been left for them. It contained fresh bread, cheese of some kind, a variety of dried meats, and a capped container of something that smelled much like a type of beer or ale. She debated whether or not she should wake B'Elanna, but decided that she would probably have a better chance of regaining some of her strength if she had something to eat.  
  
She moved back over to the chair she had placed by B'Elanna's bedside, sat down, and gently shook her arm to try to wake her.  
  
B'Elanna could feel someone touching her arm. It started as a distant sensation until her tired mind could finally grasp what was happening. Shortly after that, her hearing seemed to come back as well and she could distinctly make out someone softly calling her by her title. Fighting the fog in her brain, she slowly opened her eyes and focused on her companion.  
  
"Good evening Lieutenant, have a nice nap?"  
  
B'Elanna still seemed a little fuzzy. She didn't reply right away. Instead she chose to study her surroundings, passing her gaze around the room before answering the question. "Have we had visitors?"  
  
Janeway was impressed by B'Elanna's powers of observation. She had obviously picked up on the subtle differences in the room. "Yes we have. A woman brought us some food a few minutes ago. I thought you might like to eat something."  
  
"Looks like our friend Jomar doesn't want to get rid of us just yet." she said as she tried to raise herself off the cot.  
  
"B'Elanna, please, let me help you. I've finally gotten the bleeding back under control and I don't want you to spoil my handiwork."  
  
B'Elanna smiled, "Okay Captain, whatever you say." she said, silently grateful for the help.  
  
=/\=  
  
The away team led by Commander Tuvok had finally managed to track the Captain and Lieutenant B'Elanna to the cavern entrance and were surprised to find it open and unguarded. Upon entering, they quickly discovered the clearing that the women had occupied before their capture. While they still didn't know what had happened to them, they were convinced that there was information they could learn by studying their surroundings.  
  
It was obvious that someone had built a fire here that had gone out hours ago. Near the fire they found two water containers, one of which showed signs of having been placed in the fire to heat. Several members of Tuvok's security detail were examining the footprints in the dirt when the Doctor called his attention to an area by the side of the fire.  
  
When Tuvok approached he could see a discoloration on the sand which the Doctor was examining with a tricorder. "What have you found Doctor?"  
  
"According to my readings this is blood, and since it shows evidence of Klingon as well as human DNA, I'd say Lieutenant B'Elanna has been injured in some way." Just then the Doctor turned his attention to something lying on the sand near the base of a rock. Reaching forward into the half-light, he picked up the discarded arrowhead. Quickly scanning it with his tricorder he informed Tuvok that this was the instrument of the Lieutenant's injury. While they had no way of knowing where the arrow had struck her, the Doctor knew from the look of the ghastly thing that it must have caused a good deal of damage. That would also explain the not insignificant amount of blood they found on the cavern floor.  
  
With these clues in hand, they continued to look for more. After a few minutes they discovered the metal strip that Janeway had used to cauterize the wound as well as some of the material that she had used for bandages. "From the look of it, Captain Janeway must have been forced to treat the Lieutenant."  
  
"Doctor, can you determine how badly Lieutenant B'Elanna was wounded?" asked Tuvok.  
  
"While I can't tell for certain, it appears that she has suffered a fairly significant loss of blood. I also can't tell whether or not it is life threatening, but I am sure that she needs proper medical attention as soon as possible. There is no way that the Captain could have adequately treated an injury caused by that arrow with the tools and materials she had available to her. Of course the seriousness of the situation is dependent on where the Lieutenant was struck, but I would guess that wherever she is, she may still be in jeopardy."  
  
Tuvok now felt a greater sense of urgency. They needed to find their missing officers and soon.  
  
"Commander Tuvok, take a look at this." said one of the security team members. He was examining several sets of footprints heading off into the half-light of the tunnel. "Unless I miss my guess, the Captain and Lieutenant B'Elanna were taken this way. See those tracks? They could only have been made by a Starfleet uniform boot of the type worn by both the Captain and Lieutenant B'Elanna."  
  
=/\=  
  
B'Elanna was slowly, and none too gently, rubbing her forehead with the index and middle fingers of her right hand. Her eyes were tightly closed, and the expression on her face clearly indicated that she was suffering a severe headache. Janeway noticed all of this as she was bringing a plate of food to her from the basket that the Veret woman had brought to them earlier.  
  
"Headache?" Janeway inquired of the obvious as she set the plate on the chair next to the cot.  
  
Her eyes remaining closed, B'Elanna replied simply. "Yes." Although what she really wanted to say included a rather long string of very expressive Klingon vocabulary, she kept it to herself.  
  
"It's probably from the blood loss. You'll feel better once you eat something." Janeway said as she balanced herself on the edge of the cot and gently helped B'Elanna to sit with her back against the wall. "I remember when I was at the academy and was sent out with an away team on what was supposed to be a routine and low risk mission to investigate an abandoned research station on an asteroid. They beamed us to the command center and we were immediately set upon by an armed group of scavengers who had taken over the station and who were using some kind of personal cloaking devices to mask their presence.  
  
"In the fray that followed, we were eventually able to subdue our attackers with reinforcements from the ship, but in the darkness and confusion, I fell over some debris and opened a deep gash in my leg. In the few minutes that it had taken to get me medical assistance and to beam me back to the ship, I had lost enough blood that they weren't sure I'd make it. I distinctly remember the headache that I had when I woke up in sickbay after the ships' surgeon saved my life. Luckily he was able to give me something for it right away. I wish there was something handy to give you, but I'm fresh out of pain killers. Sorry."  
  
"I certainly hope you're right about eating something. All I can seem to focus on is how badly my head hurts." B'Elanna exclaimed as she set the plate on her lap and shifted her hands to her temples, attempting to message the pain away. Through it all, her eyes remaining tightly closed.  
  
Janeway then set the plate she had prepared in B'Elanna's lap and sat in the chair. "Here, try some of this."  
  
B'Elanna opened her eyes and looked down at the small assortment of meat, cheese and bread that Janeway had handed her. Taking a slice of cheese, she brought it to her mouth and began to eat. "Captain, what do you think they plan to do with us?" she asked.  
  
Janeway leaned back in her chair, looking weary herself. "I can only speculate that they are curious about where we come from and why. I suspect we are relatively safe until they get bored with us or they come to the conclusion that we pose a threat."  
  
"I know this is probably a silly question, but do you have any plans to try to escape?"  
  
Leveling her eyes to B'Elanna's, Janeway donned her normal Captain's facade in seconds. "Possibly. But I haven't worked out all the details yet. There are still a few too many unknowns." Her tone of voice softening somewhat, she continued, "But I'm hoping that Chakotay and Tuvok find us long before an escape attempt becomes necessary. If I know the two of them, they're already looking for us."  
  
"You're probably right. We're hours overdue. There's no way they would sit around and wait when they know we would never voluntarily miss a check-in."  
  
"That's what I'm counting on. With any luck, we'll be out of here very soon. If the weather lets up we may be able to contact them directly since we still have our comm badges."  
  
B'Elanna took the opportunity to re-open the subject of a possible escape. "And if we're not so lucky? I'm not sure I'll be in any condition to affect an escape."  
  
When Janeway replied, she squared her shoulders as she spoke. "When the time comes, if that time comes, if I give you a direct order, I'm sure you'll rise to the occasion Lieutenant."  
  
They sat staring at each other for a few moments in silence, both not wanting to fall into a disagreement but both too stubborn to appear to give in first. Kathryn Janeway was extremely proud of her chief engineer. She even saw a little of herself in B'Elanna from time to time and this was one of those times.  
  
Janeway eventually broke eye contact first thereby acknowledging that this was difficult for both of them and voluntarily giving a small victory to her junior officer. "Don't worry B'Elanna, we'll get out of this, I'm sure of it."  
  
=/\=  
  
Tuvok and his team had finally reached the surface again. They had followed the trail left in the dust and dirt of the cavern until it had led them to the opening their officers and their captors had taken only hours before. But they were immediately discouraged to see that the trail they were following was rapidly disappearing in the blowing and drifting snow beyond the mouth of the cavern.  
  
The only advantage to this was that they were now on the surface and with luck would be able to use their communications and scanning equipment again. Their tricorders and comm badges had functioned within the caverns, but would not penetrate past the perimeter grid. On the surface the weather occasionally refused to cooperate, but there were brief periods where communications would pass through the atmosphere unhindered. And since they also had the added advantage of the Delta Flyer hovering in the area to boost any signals, they might have a better chance of being successful.  
  
But now they had a decision to make. The time they had spent tracking their officers now presented them with a journey on the surface at nightfall. It would be nearly impossible to get any bearings at all in the dark with their limited scanning ability. Pulling his collar up against the raging storm, Tuvok moved out from under the relative shelter of the cavern entrance and stepped into the snow. Once out in the open, he attempted to contact the ship. "Tuvok to Delta Flyer."  
  
"Go ahead Commander." replied Harry.  
  
"Connect me with Commander Chakotay."  
  
Harry and Tom were now listening intently. If Tuvok were contacting the ship, he must have something important to report. "Aye Sir." said Harry as he opened the comm channel.  
  
At first there was no response. Then a static plagued transmission was received. "Go ahead. But. loud and slow. transmission. breaking up."  
  
Even with the Flyer boosting the signal, communication was obviously not going to be easy. Tuvok did as he was instructed and spoke slowly and deliberately. "We believe the Captain and Lieutenant B'Elanna were taken captive by the Veret. We have been following their trail in the cavern but are losing it in the snow on the surface. Try to scan for their comm signals."  
  
"Harry, did you get that?" asked Chakotay.  
  
"Yes Sir, I'm on it. There's a great deal of interference, but I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Tuvok, Harry's working on it. I'll have Seven try from Voyager as well, although I don't hold out much hope for success there."  
  
Tuvok considered his next words carefully. It was a decision he had not wanted to make because it meant more lost time, but he felt they had no choice. They could not risk losing their way in the dark. It would risk both the outcome of their mission as well as the safety of the team. "Commander, I'm afraid we will be unable to continue the search in the dark. We will spend the night in the cavern and contact you at sunrise. Please gather all the information you can in that time."  
  
Chakotay was disappointed, momentarily looking down at his hands, but he knew Tuvok was making the right decision. "Agreed, we'll keep working on finding any trace of them and have it ready for you when you're ready."  
  
Tuvok had heard and understood the transmission. "Aye Sir. Tuvok out." Tuvok took one more look at the sky and headed back into the cavern to announce the decision to the rest of the away team.  
  
The Doctor had heard the conversation as well and was curious, "Commander Tuvok." said the Doctor as he caught up with the Commander to walk along side him. "You chose not to say anything about Lieutenant B'Elanna being injured. Why?"  
  
"Doctor, the Lieutenant and the Commander are good friends as well as part of the senior staff of Voyager. I am also aware that Ensign's Paris and Kim would be monitoring our transmissions from the Delta Flyer. It would serve no useful purpose for them to worry until we know something more definitive."  
  
"I see your point. I only hope we have good news to report at the end of this search."  
  
"As do I." replied Tuvok.  
  
=/\=  
  
Having had something to eat, B'Elanna did indeed feel somewhat better and she was grateful that her headache had subsided to a more tolerable level. She took the opportunity to set her head back against the wall, close her eyes and rest.  
  
Kathryn Janeway on the other hand, appeared to be comfortably seated in her chair gazing at the fire, but her thoughts were in no way at rest. She was fairly certain that they were in no immediate danger from the Veret. Any good military commander, even a primitive one, was intelligent enough to know that it was better to try to get all the information you could from prisoners before you either released or eliminated them. She would simply have to hold them at bay until the 'Calvary', in the form of a Voyager search team, came to rescue them. But how long would she have to keep this up?  
  
Deciding she could think better on her feet, she stood and took her thoughts with her to the door and looked out the small high window at the rapidly darkening sky. She had only been there a few minutes when she noticed a group of four Veret walking purposefully through the snow toward the cabin door. Janeway was immediately on guard, her senses alert, "B'Elanna, it looks like we're about to have company."  
  
B'Elanna immediately began to try to rise from the cot, but Janeway spotted her. "Sit down Lieutenant, there's no need to take the chance of damaging that leg further. I'll handle this."  
  
Knowing she would never be able to argue the point to a different conclusion, B'Elanna did as she was ordered, but remained at the edge of the cot so she could respond in a moment's notice is Janeway were threatened in any way.  
  
When the door opened and slammed against the interior wall of the cabin, Janeway standing erect, directly in the path of the Veret, and looking not the least bit intimidated.  
  
Jomar entered the room and moved to stand directly in front of her with the rest of his group filing in close behind him. The last man through the door slammed it closed as roughly as it had been opened. Jomar then removed his right hand from his pocket and pointed at the comm badge on Janeway's jacket. "What is this?" he bellowed.  
  
Janeway stepped forward until she was only inches from him. "It is a form of jewelry, a symbol of our group."  
  
"And you wear no other adornment?" he asked, taking in the fact that B'Elanna wore an identical pin on her jacket.  
  
B'Elanna suddenly remembered that the Veret woman who had brought them the food earlier had been wearing several thick bracelets, a ring, and a heavily ornamented necklace. It must be the custom of the Veret woman to wear a good deal of jewelry. "Women of our culture do not wear those items all the time. We save them for special occasions." she said.  
  
Janeway briefly glanced over her left shoulder and smiled at her officer and then turned back to face Jomar. She decided it was probably best not to tell him the nature of their group. "My companion is correct. These are our working clothes and we wear this insignia to identify us to other groups."  
  
"You will come with me. Your companion may remain here. She will not be harmed."  
  
"Captain?" B'Elanna said with an inflection that implied the magnitude of her displeasure at being left behind.  
  
Looking over her shoulder again, Janeway tried to reassure her junior officer, "I'll be fine B'Elanna. You stay here." The implication was clear to B'Elanna, she was to stay put and wait.  
  
"Take her!" instructed Jomar with a wave of his hand.  
  
Two of the Veret guards behind him moved forward and roughly grabbed Janeway by the arms, forcefully leading her from the cabin and into the snow and darkness. The remaining Veret, along with their leader, followed them out as noisily as they had come. It was disconcerting to B'Elanna to see the way they were treating her, and it was even worse that she was being pulled into the elements without her parka, but there was nothing she could do but follow her orders for the moment and wait.  
  
TBC 


	4. Part 4

At Face Value - Part 4  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead. To those of you who read the original postings of Parts 1 through 3, my apologies for an inadvertent timeline error that I have since corrected. B'Elanna Torres and Tom Paris are romantically involved in this time frame but are not married.  
  
Part 4  
  
Janeway was roughly dropped into a chair in a room in what appeared to be a large central community house. The building itself was much larger than the one that she and B'Elanna had been housed in, and contained several rooms off a main entrance hall. In the room she was now in, there was a massive stone fireplace along one wall. The room was functionally furnished with a large table and chairs and a couple of benches near the fire and not much other furniture, and there were animal skins covering most of the floor in the center of the room and near the fire.  
  
Her uniform was covered with melting snow from the walk in the open, and within moments the dampness and the stress from the cold caught up with her and she began to shiver. Grateful for the roaring fire after being dragged through the snow, nevertheless, she was unable to prevent herself from wrapping her arms around her chest in an effort to stop the shaking.  
  
Jomar had dismissed his men, but Janeway was certain they were standing guard outside his door. He slowly removed his coat, hanging it on a hook by the door, and then did the same with his heavy fur boots, setting them on the floor near his coat. Janeway watched him closely while he moved over to a cupboard near one of the other doorways. He grabbed a pitcher and two mugs similar to the ones that had been brought to her and B'Elanna previously and returned to sit directly opposite her at the table. Sloppily filling a mug from the pitcher, he pushed it across the table to her and then filled his own.  
  
"Drink. It will warm you." he said.  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of." she thought. The last thing she needed right now was alcohol of any kind, but she couldn't afford not to play along. She reached forward and raised the mug to her lips, making it appear that she had taken a large swallow, and then set the mug back on the table, running her sleeve across her mouth. For the moment her ruse seemed to work, as he didn't seem to notice anything.  
  
After taking a large gulp from his own mug, Jomar looked at her suspiciously, "I have never met anyone of your kind before. I have never heard of you either. Why is that do you think?"  
  
Not wanting to lie to him, but knowing the whole truth would be dangerous, she did the best she could to simplify the facts. "As I told you in the cave, we live in another land and only recently have ventured beyond our known borders. My friend and I are part of a party in search of new trade routes."  
  
"You have traveled far?" he asked as he took another swig from his mug.  
  
Janeway was terribly uncomfortable in a damp uniform, but she kept herself focused on Jomar and answered his question. "Yes. For some time, and we became separated from the rest of our group. They will be looking for us by now."  
  
He looked at her intently, as if deciding if her last statement was something he should be concerned about, "How did you get there? The Hakonene have magic that guards the caverns."  
  
"We saw no magic. The cave was open when we found it and we took shelter from the storm there." Another lie, but under the circumstances there wasn't much choice, she could tell that he was highly suspicious and his next statement only reinforced her opinion.  
  
"If you traveled far as you say, where were your provisions? You and your companion had little with you when you were found."  
  
"God he's making this difficult." she thought. "The rest of our group have our supplies." she said as she began to shiver again. Jomar was not buying it, she could tell. But then her story wasn't completely out of the question and even Jomar appeared capable of recognizing a plausible explanation when he heard it. But she also knew that he was probably suspicious by nature. The Hakonene had said that these people were superstitious and feared technology. It wasn't much of a stretch to assume them generally leery of anything unfamiliar.  
  
Suddenly rising from his chair, and leaning heavily on his hands on the table, Jomar pressed himself menacingly toward her. "I don't believe you."  
  
Janeway was no stranger to first contact situations, and she could easily recognize an attempt at intimidation when she saw one. So it was no surprise that she took his behavior all in stride, even if she didn't believe it wasn't a calculated, deliberate action on his part. Mustering her courage, she duplicated his actions and rose to face him, almost nose to nose. "You may believe what you like. We are no threat to you. Now, can I return to my friend?"  
  
Her actions had shocked him at first. This was definitely an unusual woman. Instead of being angry, he found himself intrigued and amused by this small, insignificant and impudent female. His laughter was genuine, and it astonished her as much as it had him. "You may go." he chuckled. It was followed immediately by, "For now."  
  
As he stood so did she. She muttered "Thank you." to her captor as the guards entered to lead her back to the cabin and B'Elanna. At least she hoped that's where they were headed.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Bridge to Commander Chakotay"  
  
The hail broke Chakotay from his private thoughts. He had been in the Captain's ready room trying without much success not to think the worst about the predicament of his friends in the hands of an unknown race. Since early morning he had been going over reports and trying to wait patiently for more information from the rescue party. Tuvok's last report had sounded promising in one regard. At least they had found some sign of what had happened.  
  
"Go ahead." he replied.  
  
"We're receiving a transmission for you from the Hakonene Ambassador."  
  
Chakotay rubbed his eyes and sat up straighter in the chair. "I'll take it in here, Seven. Route it to the Captain's terminal."  
  
"Very well."  
  
When the screen sprang to life, Chakotay wasted no time. "Ambassador, what can I do for you?"  
  
"We have some news of your officers Commander." At first the Ambassador was the only person that could be seen on the view screen. As he spoke, two dusty and disheveled men appeared behind him. "These men are the ones we sent to meet your party. They have quite a story to tell."  
  
Chakotay was now impatient to hear what they had to say. "Go on."  
  
Within minutes Chakotay had all the information they had to convey. Not the least of which was the fact that B'Elanna had been shot by a Veret arrow. When they had last seen the two women, she was bleeding heavily and was in considerable pain. From what Tuvok had reported, she must have recovered enough to go with the Veret, as there were clearly two separate and distinct sets of Federation footprints leading through the cavern. He wasn't sure if he should be encouraged because she was obviously on her feet, or worried because she was probably in no condition to be doing so.  
  
"Commander, these men were on their way here to get help for your officers, but they encountered raiding parties in the tunnels and it took them much longer than anticipated to make it here to inform us. I am truly sorry."  
  
"It's not your fault Ambassador. And thank your men for their efforts and their concern. At least now we know for sure what happened to the Captain and Lieutenant Torres."  
  
"Have you had any word from your rescue team?" asked the Ambassador.  
  
"As a matter of fact we have. They located the area of the caverns that your men described some time ago. It appears that our officers were captured by one of the Veret raiding parties you described and have been taken by them. Our rescue team trailed them as far as they could until they reached an opening to the surface and were forced to stop for the night."  
  
"They have probably taken them to their settlement."  
  
Chakotay was suddenly much more interested in this conversation. "Settlement... what settlement?"  
  
"I have recently been informed that the Veret have been living in a small settlement several hours march from the cavern where your officers were captured. More than likely, that is where they have gone. There would be no other logical choice. My staff can provide you with the coordinates. Our thoughts are with you for the swift recovery of your officers. I will speak with you again soon Commander."  
  
"Thank you Ambassador." Chakotay closed the channel and slid lower in the captain's chair. Closing his eyes, he sent a silent thought out to his friends, "Hold on, we're coming."  
  
=/\=  
  
It was getting quite late, and the away team had settled in until morning, but they were restless and concerned about the fate of their captain and chief engineer. Tuvok was staying in contact with the ship on a regular basis to ensure security and share any addition information the Hakonene provided. At the moment, he was in direct contact with Chakotay who was providing him with a last minute update supplied by the Hakonene Ambassador.  
  
"It sounds promising Tuvok, at least it's a lead we didn't have before. Given the environment down there, there's no way we would have known about the Veret settlement if we hadn't been given an idea where to look." Chakotay stated, optimistic that this lead would provide the break they needed.  
  
"I agree Commander, this does appear to be the most logical place for Lieutenant Torres and Captain Janeway to have been taken.'  
  
"We're relaying the directional information to you now. We've mapped a vector from your current location directly to the settlement. Depending on the weather, it should take you about two hours to traverse the distance."  
  
Tuvok watched his tricorder for acknowledgement that the transmission had been received and the information was intact. It took several seconds, but eventually the tricorder indicated a successful transmission. "Information received Commander. We will act on this in the morning as soon as we have sufficient light to travel."  
  
"Acknowledged. Good luck Tuvok, and be careful. We'll have the Flyer back out at first light to cover you. Voyager out."  
  
After closing the comm channel, Chakotay leaned forward over the desk in the ready room and returned to reviewing a recent report from Seven concerning the weather on the computer monitor. What he saw gave him even more reason to hope that things were finally going their way. With luck, the search would be over within a few hours of the first light of day.  
  
=/\=  
  
It had been an extremely long day. B'Elanna's one consolation was that her leg was feeling much better ever since the Captain had redressed the wound, packed it in snow, and she had stayed off of it for a while. As far as she could tell, the bleeding had stopped and the swelling had gone down considerably.  
  
Earlier, Janeway had looked long and hard and finally found a weak spot along one wall of the cabin near the floor where she pried a section of loose flooring up and managed to scoop more than enough snow into the cabin to use to create a cold pack for B'Elanna's leg.  
  
But the snow had melted long ago, and B'Elanna had been restless and impatient, wondering what could possibly be going on with the Captain. Eventually she had pulled herself up of the cot, and hopped to the door. She was still there now, placing as little weight as possible on her damaged leg, trying to ignore the almost constant, painful throbbing, and keeping a vigil through the opening, hoping that at any moment the Captain would emerge from the darkness and blowing snow.  
  
It seemed as though she had been looking out the window for hours when she finally caught a glimpse of several silhouettes in the gloom. As they drew closer, the distinctive red shoulders of the Captain's uniform became visible, and she sent silent thanks to any god listening that Janeway was moving toward the cabin under her own power.  
  
As the group approached, B'Elanna moved away to stand in line with the door, but a few feet back from it, resting lightly against the table for support. When it opened, the Captain took several hesitant steps forward while the door was closed behind her and the two women were once again alone in the cabin.  
  
B'Elanna took a good look at her commanding officer and was not pleased with what she saw. There was snow crusting her hair and eyebrows and covering the shoulders of her uniform. Her face was extremely pale and she was shivering uncontrollably. "Damn it's cold out there." she mumbled. And while B'Elanna stood watching, the Captain slowly leaned against the wall to her left, first leaning against her left hand, and then actually placing her forehead against it as well to steady herself. B'Elanna wasted no time moving to her side in an effort to help.  
  
Janeway felt dizzy. The trudge through the snow was only a blur of numbing cold. Somewhere along the way her body's defensive mechanisms had taken control and she had begun to shiver. As her legs finally began to fail her, she felt B'Elanna's presence long before her eyes actually registered that she was there. The Lieutenant had very literally prevented her from slumping to the floor.  
  
"Captain, what happened? Are you alright?" she asked as she helped Janeway back to the cot by the fire as best she could with her bad leg.  
  
Janeway was somewhat out of breath when she spoke and her frozen lips effected her pronunciation, but she continued anyway, "They didn't lay a hand on me B'Elanna. Jomar only asked me a few questions and tried to intimidate me. I don't think he knows what to make of us. It seems to be to our advantage, at least for the time being."  
  
B'Elanna assisted the Captain in sitting on the cot and quickly covered her with one of the heavy blankets they had in the cabin. "We have to get you warm, you're freezing. They let us wear our parkas here from the cavern, why didn't they let you put yours on when they took you?" she asked as she rubbed the blanket over the Captain's arms.  
  
"They probably didn't even think about it. Or maybe they're testing our stamina. Who knows." Janeway said as her teeth chattered.  
  
"Let's get this wet jacket off of you, you'll warm up faster." she said, dropping the blanket and forcing the Captain to allow her to help unzip the jacket as Janeway's half frozen hands refused to cooperate. As B'Elanna pulled the damp jacket off her shoulders, Janeway couldn't control the groan that escaped when she sat up straighter. "Captain, are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine B'Elanna, I think I may have strained something in my back when the Veret assisted me out of here earlier." Janeway had emphasized the word 'assisted' as sarcastically as she possibly could, shifting uncomfortably under the blanket. "Just for once I'd like to be bigger than the aliens we encounter and have the opportunity to intimidate them."  
  
B'Elanna chuckled at that. Janeway was obviously forgetting just how intimidating she could be at times, regardless of the physical size of those within her line of sight.  
  
"Enough about me, how's the leg?" she continued, genuinely concerned, her words coming out much clearer now that blood was beginning to circulate to her lips.  
  
"Actually Captain, it seems much better, at least as well as can be expected. The snow helped bring the swelling down quite a bit and the bleeding's stopped. Given the fact that I just helped you over here to the cot, I guess it's even a little better than I thought. At least I know I can get around if I have to. Still hurts like hell though."  
  
"Good, I'm glad to hear it." Janeway had an idea, and it was largely dependent on B'Elanna's ability to follow through on something despite her injured leg. "Have you tried to contact the ship?"  
  
B'Elanna made herself more comfortable on the cot next to the Captain and lifted her wounded leg to rest on the chair. "Several times. Nothing but static."  
  
"Well, we'll just have to stick it out for now. I can't explain it, but I don't believe Jomar wants to hurt us. And I have a suspicion that there's more to this hostility between the Hakonene and the Veret than we know. When I was in Jomar's cabin, I noticed several pictographs drawn on animal hides and hung on the wall near what looked to be a shrine. They clearly indicated travelers from the sky landing on the surface and then fighting in the caverns. The next set showed what looked to be the Veret building cabins."  
  
B'Elanna's own curiosity was now piqued. "What do you think they mean?"  
  
"In my experience it's quite unusual for two races on the same planet to exhibit such diversity in their development. The Hakonene and the Veret are physiologically very different from one another, and it's hard to ignore the issue of technological and cultural development. But then, very little has been predictable here in the Delta Quadrant, and I simply didn't put all the pieces together until now. I think it's entirely possible that the Hakonene are not of this world and that the Veret were the original cave dwellers here."  
  
"Interesting." exclaimed B'Elanna. "That would certainly explain why the Veret are so guarded and suspicious of strangers. It would also explain why the Hakonene are so secretive about everything."  
  
Kathryn Janeway carefully considered her words before speaking again. She knew the direction she was about to take this conversation would meet with resistance. "I'm sure Jomar will send for me again. Do you think you can find a way out of this cabin?"  
  
"Actually Captain, while you were gone, I had some to kill so I looked around. There are two possible ways out of here besides the front door. There's a weakened section of the roof in the corner near the fireplace. There is also a lower section of the back wall near where you were able to get the snow through the floor that must have been open at one time and was hastily boarded up. I'm glad you took the laser cutter out of your boot before they came and took you away. I used it to cut the boards loose and estimated that we would only have to tunnel through a meter or so of snow to get out. I pulled an empty cupboard in front of the opening so as not to arouse suspicion."  
  
There was one more question to answer. "Do you think you could find the way back to the cavern from here? That's the most likely place to find any search party they've sent for us.  
  
B'Elanna thought about it for a moment retracing their trip here in her mind. Even though she had been in bad shape, she distinctly remembered keeping track of anything that could be used as a landmark. It would be a challenge, but she was certain she could do it. "A trail of breadcrumbs would help, but yes, I think I could find the way back."  
  
Janeway allowed herself a tiny smile, mulling that statement over as she wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders. She had been juggling scenarios and timelines in her head for hours now and she was convinced of a course of action. This was just the break she was hoping for. There was a risk, but it was calculated one, and she was willing to take it, for herself and her chief engineer.  
  
B'Elanna on the other hand, had been so pleased with what she had discovered that she had momentarily overlooked the probable reason for the Captain's inquiry. Now it struck her where Janeway was leading this discussion. Even though she was afraid she knew the answer to her next question, she forged ahead anyway. In a stern voice she asked, "Why, what do you have in mind?"  
  
"I took a good look around when we arrived and also when they took me to see Jomar. There are only a few sentries, and they seem to be concentrated in and around the main building. They didn't even leave anyone here to guard the door when they took me. It seems they considered the locked door security enough. The next time they take me to see Jomar, I'm going to do everything in my power to keep them occupied for as long as possible. As soon as I'm out the door I want you to make a run for it."  
  
Janeway paused for a moment, watching B'Elanna's expression change as if in slow motion. Deciding it was best to continue this quickly she said, "And before you say anything, I realize you're not at your best, but if I know my first officer, there's a search team out there undoubtedly attempting to follow our trail. Once you've found them, they can properly treat that leg, and you'll be able to direct them back here for me."  
  
As Janeway suspected, B'Elanna was not at all happy with the direction of this conversation and forcefully expressed her displeasure, and not because she was worried about herself. "Captain, I'm not leaving you here alone. You have no idea what they're capable of. They've already shot me and dragged you off like so much scrap. I don't think..."  
  
Janeway cut her off in mid sentence, exhaustion and stress momentarily getting the best of her. "Lieutenant, if I order you to attempt an escape, you will not only follow my order, you will succeed in that attempt. Is that clear?"  
  
The intensity of the look in her commanding officer's eyes made B'Elanna more than a bit uncomfortable and she diverted her gaze toward the floor. Not too long ago, in her recent state of mind, she would have continued to argue with the Captain over this. Now something held her back. She also had to admit there was a certain element of logic to the idea, but she still hated leaving Janeway behind to face the Veret alone. Ultimately, the reality of the situation was, as much as she hated the idea, she would follow the Captain's order if the time came. Finally, never lifting her eyes from the floor, she said "Aye Captain."  
  
"Good, I'm glad that's settled." Janeway paused for a moment very aware that B'Elanna had not looked at her even though she had acquiesced. She decided that these circumstances were a little unusual to say the least and it might help if she gave her junior officer more of an explanation for her decision, and quite honestly she felt she had been just a little unfair by pulling rank the way she had. She rested her hand on the Lieutenant's arm before she spoke. "B'Elanna listen, there's a search party out there. I'm certain of it. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. We both know that the sensors are almost useless here, the weather is simply too unpredictable. Our best chance is for one of us to find them and bring them here and I honestly believe that needs to be you. I get the feeling Jomar wants to know more about us and I'm fairly certain it's me he'll want to try to learn it from. And if it's any consolation, I'm not completely comfortable asking you to do this, knowing how difficult it's likely to be for you with your leg in the shape it's in, but I know you'll come through for us."  
  
B'Elanna finally lifted her eyes to meet those of the Captain, now resigned to doing as the Captain asked. Like it or not, she didn't have much choice. "I understand. Whoever is out there, I'll find them Captain, and we'll come back for you." B'Elanna said with an edge of determination to her voice and intensity in her eyes that Janeway found astonishing.  
  
With that said, Janeway relaxed her grip on B'Elanna's arm, closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall, trying to clear her mind as the feeling started to return to her hands and feet. She was exhausted and she was finally allowing herself to feel it.  
  
B'Elanna watched Janeway's movements. "Captain, are you okay?"  
  
Her voice thick with sleep, and without moving or opening her eyes she answered the question. "Just a little cold... and in need of a nice long nap." Then she smiled, "Fine pair we make, huh?"  
  
There was a brief silence and then the two looked at each other and chuckled quietly at their situation. After a long moment, Janeway leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes again.  
  
B'Elanna sat there until she could hear the Captain's breathing even out indicating she was asleep. She silently hoped Janeway was right about the search party being close. If she weren't, both of them would be in real trouble.  
  
=/\=  
  
As the first haze of dawn became visible through the swirling snow at the cavern opening, Tuvok made his first transmission of the day to Voyager. At first he received nothing in response to his hails, but within only seconds, Harry Kim's voice came across in response. "Kim here Commander."  
  
The transmission had a good deal of static, but he was able to understand the Ensign. "Ensign Kim, we are preparing to continue our search in the direction of the Veret settlement. May I assume that since I am discussing this with you and not Commander Chakotay that we are having difficulties with out communications?"  
  
"Yes. Commander Chakotay managed to talk them into allowing us to piggy bag our communications on the booster signal we were using to communicate with them for our trade missions. We were able to patch you directly through to Voyager with much less interference because of it. Things don't seem to be going quite as well today. We're having difficulty getting a steady transmission from them. We're assuming that the Veret may be doing more damage than we are aware of. Tom and I will still be relaying transmissions through the comm system on the Flyer, but they might not be as clear as before."  
  
If Vulcans were capable of frowning, Tuvok was doing so now. At least that's what the Doctor thought as he joined Tuvok by the cavern entrance. "Everyone is ready when you are Commander. They're anxious to get moving."  
  
Tuvok held up his hand and cut off the Doctor before he could continue. He still needed to complete his conversation with Harry. "Understood Ensign. We will follow the vector identified to us last night and attempt to communicate at regular intervals."  
  
"Aye Sir, I'll let Chakotay know you're heading out. We'll try to stay as close to you as we can. Be careful. Flyer out."  
  
Tuvok turned to the Doctor. "We are experiencing some communication difficulties. I would suggest that we exercise caution as it may be difficult to contact the ship for assistance."  
  
"Whatever you say Commander, you're in charge. But I'm not sure how we will accomplish that feat while we're exposed out in the open to the elements in a frozen wasteland."  
  
"You're powers of deduction are indeed remarkable Doctor." said the Commander, "but we will endeavor to compensate for such inconveniences nonetheless."  
  
By the time Tuvok had finished his statement, the rest of the team were all gathered around and they made their final preparations to head off after their missing officers once more.  
  
=/\=  
  
Kathryn Janeway had been asleep for some time, although she wasn't sure exactly how long. When she opened her eyes she could see a faint light beyond the small window in the doorway. The sun must be coming up. Rolling slowly to one side she noticed B'Elanna had pulled the other cot in the room near the other side of the fire and was getting some much-needed rest of her own.  
  
She thought about what could be going on with Chakotay and Voyager. Did the Hakonene they had met ever make it back to the main tunnel to inform the authorities what had happened? Had the ship really sent a search party for them? Was Voyager in any danger from the conflict between the two races? All questions she knew she would have to wait for the answers to. She hoped she wouldn't have to wait too long.  
  
"Captain, are you awake?" She heard a soft voice inquire from the other side of the fire.  
  
"Yes, just taking the opportunity to do a little thinking."  
  
Suddenly they heard a commotion outside the door and watched as it was swung open with such force it crashed against the inside wall. Two Veret guards were again in their midst and staring at Janeway. The larger of the two spoke, "You will come with us. Jomar wishes to speak with you."  
  
Janeway turned her attention to her chief engineer as they both rose form their cots and she grabbed her parka. She didn't speak, but B'Elanna could clearly make out the words that Janeway mouthed to her. 'You know what to do.' B'Elanna received the message as loud and clear as if Janeway had shouted it and responded with a slight nod and noticed a small smile break across the Captain's face. And with that, Janeway donned her parka and walked confidently through the door and was gone.  
  
TBC 


	5. Part 5

At Face Value - Part 5  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 5  
  
B'Elanna went quickly to work. The sun was rising and she wanted to take advantage of the faint light and swirling snow to make her escape. Placing the dull throbbing pain in her leg to the back of her mind where it wouldn't interfere with her mission, she went to work. Within a minute of the Captain's departure, she had put on her own parka, had moved the cupboard away from the hole in the wall, and was digging carefully through the snow.  
  
A few minutes later, her hand broke through the crusted surface of the snowdrift against the side of the cabin. She carefully removed enough of the remaining snow so that she could look out and assess the situation. Now would not be a good time to attract attention. B'Elanna was convinced that this was more than a simple escape. She honestly felt that the Captain's life could very well hang in the balance. There was no margin for error.  
  
Looking in all directions, she was somewhat comforted by the fact that the weather was horrible. It would cover her escape. She watched for a few moments until she was sure that there were no sentries or other Veret about, and with all the speed she could muster, she broke through the opening and disappeared into the swirling snow.  
  
=/\=  
  
Harry and Tom were hard at it again after a long and restless night on Voyager. After several hours of searching the day before, they had been recalled for a rest when the team on the surface became stymied by the clock and the weather. It made no sense for them to exhaust themselves when Tuvok's team could go no further.  
  
"God Harry, why can't we find anything? We've been up here forever and have nothing to show for it. It's so frustrating." Tom was exasperated and it was clearly evident in his voice as well as his body language. He was slumped forward in the pilot's chair, his shoulders drooping toward the console, his eyes bloodshot from staring at navigational data.  
  
Harry sympathized with his friend. "Hang in there Tom, it hasn't been that long, we'll find them. The weather can't stay this bad forever. As soon as there's a break at all in this storm, I'm sure the console will light up like a Christmas tree.  
  
They had received the information about the Veret settlement when they had returned to the ship the night before and had spent their time this morning trying to locate the Captain and Lieutenant's comm badge signals and relay them to the away team to confirm the vector to follow. The problem was, the weather was not cooperating at the moment and they couldn't find the settlement much less any comm signals. If they could fly low enough, they might have a chance, but Chakotay had give strict orders that they were not to allow any possibility of being spotted or heard from the ground.  
  
Tom straightened in his seat and responded, forcing himself into a better frame of mind. "I hope you're right. For all our sakes."  
  
=/\=  
  
After another trudge through the snow to Jomar's cabin, Janeway again found herself dropped into the chair she had occupied the day before. At least this time she had been given the opportunity to wear her parka and it had made a world of difference in how she felt upon arriving this time. She was still tired, but at least she wasn't unnecessarily frozen to start with. She also knew that by now B'Elanna would be long gone from their cabin. That thought alone was enough to warm her.  
  
She heard voices outside the door and immediately recognized one of them as Jomar. She was unable to make out what they were saying, but the conversation seemed to end rather abruptly and Jomar came stomping through the door in his usual fashion. This time he only removed his coat, tossing it roughly over a chair in the corner. Obviously he was not in as good a humor as he had been the day before.  
  
"So trader, where is your friend?"  
  
Great, somehow they had already discovered B'Elanna's absence. But since he was asking where she had gone they had obviously not yet found her. Score one for their side. "How would I know? She was there when I was brought here to see you. Ask the guards."  
  
"Yes, I am aware of that. The woman I sent to bring you food discovered her missing when she went to the cabin. She has escaped through a hole in the wall. If you were friends as you claim, why would she leave you?"  
  
"Perhaps she was afraid. You and your men are formidable. She may not have wished to stay and find out what you had in mind for us." Janeway thought it might be wise to let him know she understood he was in the position of strength. Her recognition of his power and position might serve her well at this point.  
  
"Ha, that may well be true. She obviously doesn't have your courage. No matter, we shall find her. She is probably cowering nearby in the cold."  
  
'How little they know of B'Elanna.' thought Janeway.  
  
"You have told me that you are a trader, and are obviously a leader of your people, but you have not told me your name. By what name do you call yourself?"  
  
"I am called Janeway." she said.  
  
He tilted his head slightly to one side as she pronounced her name, much the same way that a puppy would turn its head at an unfamiliar sound. "Certainly not Hakonene. I have never heard such a name among those we have encountered."  
  
"As I told you, I am not Hakonene." she replied forcefully.  
  
"So you have said. And you do not resemble them." Jomar retrieved the pitcher of ale that he had been serving them from the evening before and poured himself a full mug. However, this time he offered none to Janeway. She had the impression from the way he was behaving the he had already had too much ale even though it was early in the day. Quite possibly he had been up all night. "But then you don't resemble the Veret either."  
  
Janeway decided to try to take some control of the conversation. Maybe she could get some answers to her questions concerning the relationship between the Veret and the Hakonene. "Why do you despise them so much, what have they done to you?"  
  
Jomar slammed his fist on the tabletop so hard Janeway feared he might break it in half. "They have stolen our home! The caves were ours before they came."  
  
His quick and highly agitated response was another sign that he just might be inebriated. So that was it. The Hakonene had indeed come from somewhere else and evicted the Veret from the caverns. "Your people seem to have adjusted to life on the surface."  
  
There was still an edge of hatred to his voice as he answered. "We have survived, but not all of us. We have lost many of our number to starvation and disease. That is why we fight the Hakonene. To gather supplies we need to stay alive."  
  
She was about to ask another question when someone began pounding on the door. "Jomar, the last scouting party has returned. You asked to be notified when they arrived." came the voice from beyond the door.  
  
He rose and strode to the door, opening it to greet his guest. "Menem, my brother, it is good that you have returned." Jomar embraced the man warmly, slapping him on the back, and then led him into the room. "What news have you of our offensive?"  
  
The man called Menem began to answer Jomar's question as he moved farther into the room, removing his coat and walking to the hook Jomar had used the night before to hang it up. "All goes well. We have penetrated their defenses and have damaged the machine they use to create their magic. We." suddenly he halted his report in mid-sentence. Janeway noticed he was staring at her.  
  
'Uh oh. This could be trouble.' she thought, and as it turned out, rightly so. Her luck had just run out.  
  
"Jomar, who is this?" Menem loudly inquired.  
  
"A stranger seeking trade... or so she says. Why?" said Jomar as he resumed his seat.  
  
Menem studied her closely. "The two Hakonene that we chased yesterday were met by two people in strange clothing, clothing like hers."  
  
Jomar sat higher in his chair as Menem continued to circle Janeway where she sat becoming less and less comfortable by the second. "Go on." said Jomar.  
  
"We missed catching them by only moments. But I know we injured one of them with our arrows. We found blood inside the cave where they evaded us."  
  
The Veret leader turned his attention back to his prisoner and scowled. Rising again from his seat he rounded the end of the table and grabbed her by the collar of her parka. He was so strong he lifted her from the chair and completely off her feet. "You wouldn't be one of those very same strangers would you? How did you say your friend was hurt?"  
  
'Now what?' she thought to herself as she dangled in the air. So far she had largely been honest with Jomar. It was obvious that Menem had made the association and for the first time since the Veret had taken them, she genuinely feared for her safety, and right at the moment she was also struggling valiantly against the fact that his grip was strangling her. "Jomar.please.put me down.I am no.threat to you." she said, breathless.  
  
"As you wish." he said, tossing her several feet where she landed roughly in a corner near the fireplace, her momentum stopped as her head and shoulder painfully struck the far wall. "Now explain why I should let you live. You have been consorting with our enemies."  
  
A million thoughts swam in her head and she was trying to get them all organized. Clutching her left arm close to her side, she tried to raise herself from the floor with her right. For a brief moment she believed she would be successful as she managed to get one foot under her. Then to her surprise, intense pain roared through her temples, and as her vision danced with bright flashes of light and then went completely dark, her last thought was of letting B'Elanna down. She hoped the Lieutenant wouldn't forever feel guilty for leaving her with the Veret, even if it had been an unspoken, but no less direct, order.  
  
=/\=  
  
Blinding white. That's all B'Elanna could see. Every once in a while she could catch a glimpse of the distant mountains she was using as a landmark to keep her headed in the right direction. For the time being she was more than warm enough. Her Starfleet issue parka was designed specifically for conditions such as these. She knew that they had only walked for about two hours on the surface when the Veret had first led them to their encampment. She hoped that she was getting close to half way. It was difficult to know if she was making the same distance with the wind blowing steadily in her face. Time and distance could be deceiving under such conditions.  
  
Stopping to take a short rest she had become increasingly less able to ignore the pain in her leg. She'd checked the bandages and while there was little bleeding, the skin around the wound was swollen and discolored.  
  
Suddenly she felt the winds drop in their intensity, almost as if the Gods had been using a giant fan and someone unexpectedly disconnected the power supply. The snow was still blowing, but she was clearly able to see her mountain landmark and she picked up the pace.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Tom, I'm getting something!" exclaimed Harry. He had been staring at his console for so long with nothing to show for it that he almost didn't believe his eyes. "I'm picking up B'Elanna's comm badge signal. My God, she's practically underneath us!"  
  
Tom was so excited he almost steered the Delta Flyer into an accidental roll when he looked over his shoulder at Harry. "Patch the coordinates through to the conn." he said as he quickly returned his attention to the job at hand. "Any sign of the Captain?"  
  
His hands moving rapidly over his controls Harry responded. "No, not yet, I'm still working on it though."  
  
"Keep trying. Any sign of Tuvok's team?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm getting their signals clearly as well. They can't be more than half a kilometer from B'Elanna. I'll try to raise them while you fly us in." Harry pressed a yellow command button on his console. "Delta Flyer to Lieutenant Torres, come in please." He listened for a moment and then repeated his hail a second time.  
  
All was silent for a long second in the Delta Flyer and then, "B'Elanna to the Delta Flyer, boy am I glad to hear from you. What took you so long?"  
  
"Oh, just a little wind, and snow, and.."  
  
She cut him off in mid sentence. "Have you been able to locate the Captain?"  
  
Harry and Tom exchanged a quick glance and then Tom cut in. "God it's good to hear your voice. Are you okay?" he said.  
  
"Same here. I'm fine." she replied with the emotion noticeable in her voice and choosing to lie about her condition at the moment.  
  
Tom continued. "We haven't been able to pick up the Captain's comm signal yet. We were hoping she would have been with you."  
  
"I wish things were that simple. It's a long story, but suffice it to say she's still in the custody of the Veret. She ordered me to escape when the opportunity presented itself. We need to get her out of there. I'm not sure what they might do to her if they've found out I escaped."  
  
Harry then came back into the conversation. "I've notified Tuvok and his team of your position. They will rendezvous with you in a few minutes. In the mean time we'll head in the direction of the settlement and see if the weather has lifted enough there to pick up her signal."  
  
"See you soon." Tom added.  
  
"I certainly hope so. And I hope this adventure has a happy ending. B'Elanna out."  
  
=/\=  
  
As Tom maneuvered the Flyer into a low turn and headed along the vector that would take them over the Veret settlement, Harry informed Voyager of the turn of events.  
  
Chakotay had mixed emotions about the information provided by Harry and Tom. He was thrilled with the news that B'Elanna had been found and was safe. But he was even more concerned than ever at the news that they had become separated and that the Captain was still on the custody of the Veret. All of them were now making the most of the break in the weather to find her. And they were all praying they'd make it in time.  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar walked to where Janeway lay unconscious on the floor of his cabin. Kneeling next to her, he lifted her head by grabbing a handful of hair and identified that she was still breathing. As if he had some respect for his foe, he eased her head back to the floor. "She is alive. Have her taken back to the cabin and chain her. I don't want to take the chance she will escape like her companion."  
  
Menem bowed his head. "Yes my brother." Then he summoned two of the guards from outside the door to carry their unconscious prisoner back to her appointed cell. Each of them grabbed an arm and together they dragged her unceremoniously from the room and into the elements. No one noticed the small gold and silver adornment that had fallen off of her uniform and was now lying in the corner of Jomar's cabin.  
  
=/\=  
  
B'Elanna had continued to trudge though the snow rather than stand and wait for the away team to meet her. In no time at all she was standing face to face with Tuvok and the Doctor, who immediately noticed a pronounced limp and her bandaged leg.  
  
She began to relate the information she had about the Captain to Commander Tuvok as the Doctor spoke. "Lieutenant, your leg, how badly are you hurt?" he said as he knelt and began to brush away the snow that had accumulated around her lower leg. The snow had probably been a mixed blessing. Trudging through it made the journey a good deal more work, but the cold and numbed her leg enough that she could continue to travel on it.  
  
Attempting to stand upright as much as possible to not draw attention away from the real problem at hand, she said "I'm fine Doctor, let's concentrate on getting the Captain back for right now. You can worry about treating me after that."  
  
The Doctor wasn't happy that B'Elanna was being uncooperative. "Lieutenant, I really must insist..."  
  
She cut him off in mid sentence, "Insist all you want." she said as she reached down and forcibly lifted him to a standing position. "I'll consider it while we go after the Captain." Then she turned back to Tuvok.  
  
"Lieutenant, you need medical attention, I would recommend that you we transport to the Delta Flyer as soon as possible to prevent you from aggravating your injury any further and where I can treat you properly.  
  
"Doctor, I have no intention of leaving this planet until we have retrieved the Captain from the Veret. Besides, you need my help. I'm the only one who knows the layout of the settlement and where we were being held. The Captain's chances are better if I go along."  
  
Tuvok had remained relatively quiet until now, but he recognized the wisdom in the Lieutenant's words. As the Doctor looked ready to speak again, Tuvok didn't give him the chance. "I believe Lieutenant Torres is correct Doctor. The information she is able to provide may be of critical importance to the success of our mission. Unless she is in immediate danger from her injury, I must unfortunately agree that she should stay and assist us."  
  
The Doctor was as incensed as he could possibly be. "As chief medical officer I am within my rights to protect..."  
  
"Doctor," Tuvok exclaimed, "you may take your grievance to the Captain once she is back in command of Voyager, which is less likely to happen the longer we stand here and discuss this." Then turning back to B'Elanna he said, "Now Lieutenant, let's hear what you have to tell us about the Captain."  
  
They had continued on while they talked, although slowed somewhat by B'Elanna's condition, a disgruntled EMH following right along behind, and were shortly hailed by the ship. "Chakotay to Tuvok."  
  
Tuvok answered, marveling at the clarity of the transmission after so many hours of static. "Yes Commander."  
  
"Seven has informed me that this break in the weather is only a brief one. We expect to lose this window within ten minutes. That may not be enough time for the Flyer to locate and retrieve the Captain. If that happens, it will be up to you to find her."  
  
"Acknowledged. We are heading for the settlement now. We expect to make better time with Lieutenant Torres leading the way. We'll travel as quickly as is possible."  
  
"Keep me informed of your progress, Chakotay out."  
  
Chakotay had just signed off with Tuvok when he received a hail from Harry, and he sounded excited. "Delta Flyer to Voyager."  
  
"Chakotay here, go ahead Ensign."  
  
"We've located the Captain's comm signal Sir. Please advise how you would like us to proceed. We thought it best not to send an audio signal directly to her."  
  
"Good thinking Harry. Scan for other life signs in the vicinity of the comm signal." It never occurred to Chakotay that the comm badge and the Captain might no longer be together. He was only concerned that they not cause a stir with the Veret if it could be helped.  
  
"The signal is emanating from a cabin on the perimeter of the settlement. I am reading several Veret outside the cabin, but none inside."  
  
"Well then Ensign, what are you waiting for, beam her out of there. The Veret can make up whatever stories they like about what happened to their captive as long as they don't see it happen."  
  
"Aye Sir, energizing now." Harry acknowledged as he engaged the transporter controls.  
  
Both Tom and Harry watched the shimmer of light in the center of the main cockpit, anxiously awaiting the materialization of their Captain. Within seconds their hearts sank. Tom rose from his chair, took several steps and leaned down to lift a solitary comm badge from the deck "Harry, all we got was her badge!" he said, thoroughly discouraged.  
  
Chakotay heard the transmission, and was already beginning to notice the faint crackle of static returning to the comm signal. "Harry, scan for human life signs, hurry."  
  
Harry picked up on the edginess in the Commander's voice. He was feeling the tension himself. They were so close to finding her, so close, and yet. "I've got it Commander. Human life signs on the other side of the compound in another cabin. But there are three Veret raiders in the immediate vicinity with her. Two of them are so close it's hard to distinguish their signals from hers, but I'm sure I can get her out of there." There was a slight hesitation and then, "Awaiting your command Sir."  
  
"Damn!" exclaimed Chakotay, slamming his right fist against the arm of his command chair on the bridge.  
  
Seven was also listening to the transmissions as was the rest of the bridge crew. "Commander, Ensign Kim can still lock on to her life signs. Why are you reluctant to transport?"  
  
"The Prime Directive Seven. I can't jeopardize beaming her up right before their eyes. It's one thing to attempt to beam her away when there is no one around her, but now..." he said as he scrubbed his eyes.  
  
Seven was well aware of the directive. She had studied it in an attempt to better understand some of the more curious actions of her Starfleet family. Her Borg instincts were often in direct conflict with the choices made by the Captain and the crew and she had made every effort to know why. "Even if the Captain is in danger?"  
  
Chakotay looked extremely unhappy. "Yes Seven, even then. She would have it no other way." As much as he hated saying the words, he was absolutely convinced he was right. Kathryn Janeway had suffered enough guilt over the last seven years to last a lifetime. She had made difficult, and often unpopular, decisions on this journey. By her own admission, even bending the almighty directive herself on occasion. But she would never forgive herself if a member of her crew, particularly her first officer and best friend, were to save her through such a flagrant violation of what Starfleet and the Federation stood for. "Harry, I want you to maintain a lock. As soon as the Veret are out of range, beam her aboard the Flyer."  
  
"Aye Sir, with pleasure. I'll contact you again when we have her."  
  
By this time, Tom had returned to the pilot's seat with the Captain's comm badge enclosed in his hand, and quietly placed it on his console within plain sight. "We'll get you back Captain." he said to himself.  
  
TBC 


	6. Part 6

At Face Value - Part 6  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 6  
  
The Veret guards and Menem had dragged the Captain back to the cabin she and B'Elanna had been in since their capture. Placing her unconscious form on the cot and leaning her upright against the wall, they shackled her wrists and then attached the third end of the chain around a heavy wooden support pole near the head of the cot. They didn't even bother to board the hole in the wall back up as they knew that there was no chance that she could break away from the chains. That was unless she possessed some of the Hakonene magic, but so far she had shown no sign of it.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Kim to Tuvok." The hail was again static laden when it reached the search party on the surface. "Unable to transport. Lost. Captain's. life signs. Too much. interference. Up. you."  
  
"Acknowledged Ensign. We are almost to the settlement now. We'll try to keep you informed of our progress. Tuvok out."  
  
The Doctor had stayed out of the conversation as long as he could, allowing time for B'Elanna to bring Tuvok up to speed on the tactical information they would need to rescue the Captain. Now that it appeared she had given him all the information she could, he wanted to know more about her condition and what shape the Captain might be in as well. He moved through the snow at a quicker pace in order to walk next to her. "Lieutenant, what happened to the two of you?"  
  
"We were attacked by a group of Veret raiders shortly after we materialized on the planet. Our Hakonene contacts led us to one of the openings to the caverns, but not before I took an arrow to the leg."  
  
"We discovered evidence of it in the cave. We were quite worried."  
  
"The Hakonene left us in search of help and the Captain was forced to remove the arrow herself." Her expression making it obvious to the Doctor that it had not been a pleasant experience for her.  
  
The Doctor imagined it had not been at all pleasant for Captain Janeway either. "Obviously she did well enough if you were able to recover enough to travel, but I'd really like to find out for myself if you don't mind?"  
  
"Later Doctor, right now we have more important things to worry about." She winced as she accidentally stepped more heavily than intended on her bad leg, then looked him straight in the eye as she finished. "I'm very worried about her."  
  
"Then the faster we get to her the better. But please try to take care of yourself as well." he said as they continued to move at a steady pace through the snow.  
  
=/\=  
  
Tuvok was right. They were close to the settlement when they last communicated with the Delta Flyer. Now they were huddled behind a large snowdrift, examining their options. The cabin that they assumed the Captain to be in was largely unguarded. There was still a sentry at the door, but the hole through which B'Elanna had escaped was still open and exposed with the sporadic Veret patrols paying no extra attention.  
  
B'Elanna shifted uncomfortably in the snow and tried with some difficulty to prevent any outward signs of the discomfort in her leg. She had begun to limp noticeably over the last few minutes and was doing her level best to appear as normal as possible or she knew they wouldn't let her go through with what she was about to propose. She took a deep breath and spoke. "This could work to our advantage Tuvok. I suggest the Doctor and I attempt to get back in the cabin the way I got out. You can watch our backs and warn us of any danger. If the Veret stay true to form, it should be several hours before they return for any reason. At least that was their pattern before."  
  
"It is risky, but I see no other choice without attracting unnecessary attention. And we need to scout the cabin to confirm that is where the Captain is being held. Very well Lieutenant, you may proceed. You have ten minutes before we come after you." Turning toward one of the security detail that had accompanied him Tuvok gestured for the ensign to hand him a pack he had been carrying. Handing it to B'Elanna he said, "You may find these of use."  
  
B'Elanna smiled as she looked into the bag. "Pattern enhancers. Tuvok, you think of everything. Come on Doctor, let's go. You've just become a commando."  
  
She led him crouching through the snow to the edge of the drift and waited until the Veret patrol rounded the corner of the last cabin, putting them out of the line of site of their destination. She motioned for him to follow and together they traversed the short distance to the back of the cabin. B'Elanna brushed away the accumulated snow and easily found the tunnel she had dug when she escaped only hours before. "This way." she whispered.  
  
Sliding on her stomach down the short tunnel, B'Elanna met no resistance as she forced her way through the opening she had previously made in the wall. Before she had even made it all the way into the room, she looked up to see the Captain on the far side, chained to a pole. She was lying on her back on the cot as if she had been dropped there, her lead lolled to one side and her eyes closed. Her hands were raised slightly in the air and they could clearly see the heavy shackles encircling them. "Oh my."  
  
Seeing no on else in the room, she hurried through the opening and was at the Captain's side in seconds, her apprehension clearly evident on her face. The Doctor had followed her and seated himself on the opposite side of the cot. Pulling a medical tricorder from his pocket he quickly assessed the Captain's condition. "Severe concussion, some strain to her neck muscles, what humans used to call whiplash, and there's a dislocation of her left shoulder. Nothing life threatening, but we should get her back to the ship as soon as possible, she needs to be treated properly."  
  
"Understood." B'Elanna reached behind the cot to a small crack in the cabin wall and retrieved the laser cutter that she had left behind for the Captain where no one who wasn't looking for it would have spotted it. Turning up the intensity of the beam, she cut through the Captain's bonds with relative ease and then gently lowered her arms and set them across her chest, being as careful with her left arm as possible.  
  
Janeway felt herself being moved. It caused her some discomfort and she moaned softly as a result.  
  
"Captain?" said the Doctor. "Can you hear me?"  
  
Her eyes blinked open but only halfway as she tried to shake the cobwebs and the fog from her brain. "B'Elanna."  
  
B'Elanna carefully lifted one of Janeway's hands into hers and squeezed it gently. "We're going to get you out of here Captain. Just take it easy okay."  
  
Janeway didn't have the energy to speak, but she managed to tighten her grip on B'Elanna's hand in acknowledgement of her support.  
  
"B'Elanna to Tuvok"  
  
The response was still plagued with interference, but not nearly as much as between them and the Delta Flyer. "Tuvok here."  
  
"We have her, but she's not going to make it out of here under her own power."  
  
"Acknowledged. We'll contact the Delta Flyer. They may be able to get a definitive lock on you now that they have comm signals to follow. I suggest you activate the pattern enhancers I gave you." Tuvok still wasn't sure this would work through the interference, but they had to try. "Tuvok to Delta Flyer."  
  
Again the response was interspersed with interference, but the communication was successful. "Kim here. Go ahead."  
  
"Lieutenant Torres and the Doctor have found the Captain. Can you transport them to the Flyer?"  
  
This was the opportunity they had been waiting for. And Tom wasn't about to let it slip away this time. Prime Directive or not, he would get close enough and pray that the blowing snow would shield them from being noticed by the Veret on the ground. "We're going to make this work Harry, follow my lead. We may only get one shot at this."  
  
"Okay Tom, you're in charge. Go for it!" Harry grinned at him.  
  
Tom pushed the Flyer into a dive toward the coordinates that they had identified during the brief break in the weather earlier. Once he got close enough, he was hoping that Harry would be able to pinpoint the location exactly by picking up the enhanced comm badge signals from the Doctor and B'Elanna.  
  
"I'm getting something. Can you get us closer?"  
  
"You bet. Hang on." Tom circled the Flyer into and even lower trajectory. Perilously close to the invisible line he knew he should not cross. "Anything?"  
  
"Bingo! Got it. Keep us level Tom. I'll have them with us in a moment. Energizing!" Harry activated the transporter controls and after a few seconds they heard a strong voice from the aft compartment. Harry had managed to grab all three officers as well as the pattern enhancers. There would be no trace of what had happened to the Captain.  
  
"Mister Paris, get in here, I need your help." The Doctor's voice sounded like music to their ears.  
  
"On my way Doc." Tom replied as he looked over his shoulder at his companion. "Harry take over, and contact the away team and the ship and let them know we're on our way back with the Captain."  
  
"You got it. And tell them both I'm glad they're back."  
  
When Tom arrived in the aft section, B'Elanna was immediately in his arms, hugging him fiercely. As they finally released each other, Tom took a step back to take a proper look at her, checking to make sure she was indeed alright as she had said. He was shocked to find a long tear in the leg of her slacks and what was left of the material of Janeway's turtleneck wrapped around her calf and discolored with blood. B'Elanna, what happened, I thought..."  
  
The Doctor interrupted him before he could get further, "Mister Paris, would you please look after the Lieutenant while I take care of the Captain?"  
  
Tom noticed that the Doctor had already instigated the protocols on the medical equipment to monitor the Captain's vital signs. "No problem."  
  
Tom and B'Elanna made their way over to a stool at a science station in the aft section and he knelt down and gently lifted her leg into his lap. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"  
  
"I didn't want you to worry. And besides, I knew they would find the Captain faster if I stayed on the surface to help. I hope you're not upset with me." Suddenly feeling extremely warm and a bit faint, she slid her parka off her shoulders and grimaced as Tom began to remove the bandages.  
  
What he saw when he removed the last strip of cloth didn't make him very happy at all. "My God B'Elanna, how could you walk on this?" he exclaimed. The wounded area of her leg was severely bruised and discolored and was now more black than blue. It was obvious that an infection was setting in.  
  
B'Elanna finally looked down and saw what had so shocked her companion. She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know Tom. I guess I had other things on my mind."  
  
He simply shook his head. "Doctor, I'm going to need your help with this."  
  
"One crisis at a time Ensign. I'm a Doctor, not an assembly line. I need to finish with the Captain first, her head and neck injuries are serious." He replied as he continued to work.  
  
B'Elanna looked closely at the Captain and could only imagine what had happened to her after she made her escape. "Will she be alright Doc?" B'Elanna asked.  
  
His answer was brief but meaningful. "She'll be fine Lieutenant."  
  
The Captain moaned and as the Doctor lifted her to remove her parka and jacket and then set her back down.  
  
"Doc. tor."  
  
The Doctor leaned closer to the Captain when it registered that she had spoken to him. "Yes Captain. What is it?" he said to her, somewhat surprised that she was conscious.  
  
"Where am I?" she whispered, apparently not having the energy to open her eyes yet and see for herself.  
  
"You're safe on the Delta Flyer Captain. We're on our way back to Voyager. I'd advise that you relax. I'm about to put you to sleep so I can treat you."  
  
As the Doctor lifted a hypospray to her neck, Janeway opened her eyes and lifted her right hand to block the Doctor's access to her neck. "No. not yet. where's B'Elanna?"  
  
Despite Tom's attempt to physically prevent it, B'Elanna stood, brushed him aside, and moved to Janeway's side. He stepped back as B'Elanna moved forward and reached for Janeway's unmoving left hand. "I'm right here Captain."  
  
Immediately Janeway was markedly less agitated as her fingers wrapped around B'Elanna's and her head turned toward the younger woman, the moisture in her eyes making them appear a bright sapphire blue. "Good work Lieutenant." Janeway licked her lips and swallowed. "I knew you could do it... thank you."  
  
B'Elanna held tightly to the Captain's hand. "You're welcome. Now, you rest and let the Doctor treat you."  
  
Janeway nodded and closed her eyes, finally dropping her other hand to her chest so the Doctor could proceed.  
  
Tom stood resting a comforting hand on B'Elanna's back. Whatever happened to the two of them on the planet had obviously been a boost for their relationship, if even in a small way.  
  
As the doctor pressed a hypospray to the Captain's neck they heard Harry announce that they would be docking Voyager in fifteen minutes. If anyone had been listening closely they would have heard the collective sigh of relief from the team in the aft compartment.  
  
=/\=  
  
After retrieving both the Flyer and the away team from the surface, Chakotay had contacted the Hakonene Ambassador to let him know of their recovery of Captain Janeway and Lieutenant Torres from the Veret. Chakotay had also told him that while they would remain in orbit, there would be no further trade negotiations until hostilities on the planet had died down and until Chakotay had the opportunity to discuss the Veret with the Captain. The Ambassador had understood and said he would await contact from Voyager.  
  
Now, twelve hours later, Chakotay entered sickbay and walked directly to the office. The Doctor had summoned him several minutes before stating that he had an update on the Captain's condition. "Good evening Doctor, what have you got for me."  
  
The Doctor broke his attention away from his computer console and swiveled in his chair to face his visitor. "I just wanted to let you know that I expect Captain Janeway to regain consciousness at any moment. I thought you might want to be here. Knowing her, she'll have many questions, and will wish to return to duty as soon as possible."  
  
Chakotay's grin was more than obvious. "No doubt."  
  
"While she is in no danger, she should take some time to rest. She is likely to experience headaches, and her shoulder will be sore for a few days. You may tell her when she asks that I will release her for duty if she promises to rest in her quarters for another 24 hours."  
  
"The Captain is not unreasonable Doctor, she should find that acceptable." Chakotay hoped she would actually be as cooperative as possible. But if she chose to exercise her stubborn streak, things would be much more difficult.  
  
"Let's hope you're right." said the Doctor looking somewhat skeptical.  
  
"By the way, how is B'Elanna?"  
  
"I released her to her quarters in the care of Mister Paris several hours ago. The surgery on her leg went very well and she should be back to duty about the same time as the Captain as long as she follows my orders, and I must say, I was amazed that she was able to stand much less travel through the snow to find the away team. She's a remarkable young woman."  
  
"That she is Doctor." Chakotay replied as he moved to exit the office, "and thank you, I'll let you know what the Captain has to say."  
  
The EMH nodded and turned back to his work as Chakotay walked out of the office and over to the Captain's bedside. She was lying on one of the beds to the right of the main entry door and toward the back of sickbay. As he approached, he glanced briefly at the monitoring equipment over the head of the bed, noticing the colors and patterns made by the displays. While he was capable of actually interpreting very few of them, he was none the less appreciative of their function. He took a seat on a stool next to Kathryn's bed and waited for her to awaken. And as the Doctor had predicted, he didn't have to wait long.  
  
Within moments her breathing changed and she moaned quietly. Then she rolled her head slightly to the side on the pillow, and ever so slowly blinked her eyes open until they settled on the smiling face of her First Officer. "Welcome back."  
  
She blinked several more times and looked around the room as much as possible before she spoke. "Commander? How did I get back to the ship? And where's B'Elanna?" she said, apparently oblivious to what had taken place on the Delta Flyer.  
  
Typical Janeway, as usual she got right down to business. She had even tried to rise from the bed, but her own weakness and Chakotay's restraining hands prevented her from getting very far. "Whoa Kathryn, one question at a time. I'll be happy to explain everything, just take it easy, okay?"  
  
She nestled herself back on the bed, closed her eyes, and lifted her right hand to her forehead.  
  
"Headache?" Chakotay asked.  
  
"Um humm." she replied with a grimace.  
  
He rested his hand on her shoulder trying to offer some comfort. "The Doctor said that was likely to happen for a while."  
  
She kept her eyes tightly closed. "Oh, and what else did the Doctor say? What's my condition?"  
  
Chakotay wasn't sure if her tone of voice had been due to the discomfort she was so obviously in or because her stubborn streak was rearing its ugly head already. He chose the former and forged ahead. "You suffered injuries to your head and neck and a dislocated shoulder. He has taken care of everything, but you have to give yourself some time to get your strength back. He said you're likely to have some headaches for a while." Having stated the facts, he hesitated for a moment, smiled again and continued, "Now, honestly Kathryn, how to you feel?"  
  
She lowered her hand to her stomach, opened her eyes, and focused them on his. "Honestly?"  
  
His tone left no question as to how serious he was. "Yes."  
  
Knowing Chakotay as well as she did, there was no mistaking the intensity in his gaze either. He was concerned about her and she appreciated it. "Well, honestly then. pretty lousy."  
  
"I thought as much."  
  
She pretended to look surprised. "Has my First Officer suddenly become clairvoyant?" She returned his smile with one of her own.  
  
He shook his head at her attempted sarcasm. "Not really. You've been through a lot and you apparently made quite an impression on a certain lieutenant while you were at it. She says you did a lot for her down there."  
  
"We did a lot for each other. I'm just glad we both made it back in one piece. So just how long does this little break need to last? I have work to do."  
  
"According to the Doctor, if you behave yourself and stay in your quarters until tomorrow evening, he'll let you back on duty after that." He sat back somewhat on his stool and crossed his arms over his chest to await her reaction.  
  
She raised the arm in question, looking at it intently, but thought about it for only a moment, "Deal."  
  
He sounded somewhat surprised, "Well that was easier than I thought it would be."  
  
She turned away slightly and rubbed her forehead again. When she spoke this time, it was with Kathryn's voice, not Captain Janeway's. It was the voice she used when she let her guard down with him, when they were speaking as friends, not the command team of a starship. "Chakotay, the way I feel right now, I doubt I have the energy to argue the point with either you or the Doctor."  
  
He was glad she saw the logic in giving herself some time to recover. He uncrossed his arms and placed one hand to her shoulder, offering his support and understanding. "Do you feel up to filling me in on what happened down there? B'Elanna has told me everything she knows, but you were with the Veret when she escaped. What's the last thing you remember?"  
  
She rolled her head back to look at him. "I have a vague memory of B'Elanna and the Doctor finding me in the cabin, and I think I remember being on the Flyer, but it's only fleeting images. I was pretty out of it at that point. My last real clear memory is of my last meeting with Jomar. Another of his raiders showed up and recognized my uniform. He was with the group that chased us when we first arrived and he also knew that their arrows had hit one of us." She stopped momentarily, as if to catch her breath, "Jomar was angry, he assumed that I had been lying to him to cover up the fact that we were working with the Hakonene." She hesitated again to catch her breath and acknowledge the pain in her temples. "He lifted me completely off the ground, held me there for a short time, and then tossed me against a wall."  
  
He looked shocked. "What kind of a monster is this Jomar?"  
  
"He's not a monster Chakotay. He was angry, and if I were in his shoes, I would probably have felt much the same way. Although I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have tossed anyone against a wall, even if I was able too."  
  
Chakotay chuckled in spite of himself, the absurd yet oddly realistic image of his Captain tossing someone against a wall flashing before his eyes.  
  
"I remember I tried to get up off the floor, then my vision began to swim and I passed out."  
  
She was obviously beginning to tire. He gently squeezed her shoulder near her neck. "You feel up to a walk to your quarters? I've been given permission to escort you."  
  
Suddenly alert, Janeway responded. "You mean I've been paroled?  
  
"Yes Ma'am, you have." He reached beside him and handed her a uniform. "Think you can get dressed on your own, I'm afraid you'd create quite a stir wandering around the corridors in that get up." He continued, pointing at the regulation sickbay gown she wore.  
  
She graced him with a lopsided smile and began to rise, although slowly, from the bed. "I've been dressing myself for a long time now Commander, I think I can handle it."  
  
The Commander reached over and helped assisted her to a sitting position and continued to do so as she slid off the bed to stand beside it. He kept hold of her until he was certain she was stable on her feet.  
  
"Thanks." she said, taking her uniform from him. Then she straightened up, squared her shoulders, and moved behind a screen the Doctor had left standing nearby to get dressed. Once behind it, Chakotay could hear her shuffling about. "Chakotay, there's something more I have to tell you about what went on down there." He heard her say in a somewhat muffled voice, obviously pulling her shirt over her head.  
  
He knew she was serious by the inflection in her voice that this must be really important. "Okay, I'm listening." he said as she came out from around the screen, looking the part of the Captain once again, and together they made their way out of sickbay.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay had contacted the Hakonene Ambassador early the next morning with an update on the situation with the Captain and had requested a delay in further trade negotiations while she was back to duty the following day. He had also inquired as to the state of the hostilities with the Veret. The Ambassador had said very little and Chakotay gathered that meant that the situation wasn't good. Quite possibly he didn't want to risk losing a further opportunity to trade with the powerful starship. While the Hakonene were technologically advanced, there were still things they could gain from further trade with Voyager.  
  
He had spent much of the day after his conversation with the Ambassador carrying out normal ships' business and taking the time to check in on B'Elanna. Now he was in the ready room deep in thought about what the Captain had told him during their walk back to her quarters. It had been an interesting conversation.  
  
"Chakotay, the Hakonene are not native to this planet." she had said. "I have learned that the Veret are the natural inhabitants, and the underground caverns were once their home. My guess is the Hakonene are refugees from a dying world who discovered this planet some time ago. They found the Veret and their underground paradise and slowly used their technological superiority to force them to the surface. As a result, the Veret are slowly dying on the surface from exposure and malnutrition."  
  
This was going to present them with quite a dilemma. He knew Kathryn wouldn't let this situation go without trying to do something to help the Veret. Luckily she was safely ensconced in her quarters for the next few hours. He hoped it would give him time to come up with something.  
  
TBC 


	7. Part 7

At Face Value - Part 7  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 7  
  
Janeway had been released for duty the night before after a visit from the Doctor and a stern lecture about taking better care of herself. Following as much of his advice as she would allow herself, she had gotten a good night's sleep and now she was preparing for her normal shift on the bridge.  
  
She was donning her uniform in her quarters when her door chime signaled a visitor. She had already dressed in all but her jacket, as that was hanging over the back of the armchair in her living room. While released for duty, she was still sore, just as the Doctor had predicted. "Come in." she called as she moved from the bedroom to answer the door, the normal spring in her step noticeably missing. "Tom, what a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe the honor?"  
  
"Well, I just thought you might like some company on the trip to the bridge." he said, looking at his hands as he stood wringing them nervously in front of her.  
  
"Let me guess, Commander Chakotay thought I might need an escort."  
  
He raised his gaze to hers, "Well actually, it was my idea. Although I have to admit the Commander was extremely supportive." She smiled warmly at him and he continued. "B'Elanna told me what you did down there. I wanted to thank you for taking care of her. And I wanted to give you these. B'Elanna and I have been keeping them for you." He reached out his hand to her and opened his fingers to reveal a comm badge and four shiny pips. "B'Elanna saved your pips for you and I've had your comm badge ever since we beamed it off the planet without you. I."  
  
Kathryn Janeway's heart practically melted from the sentimental gesture her helmsman was making. The consummate joker, this must mean a lot to him to go out of his way to be this genuine, even without an audience. She decided she needed to save him from himself before they both turned to mush. "Thank you Ensign. I appreciate it more than you know." Reaching toward his hand, she took the offered items, and turning only long enough to pin the comm badge to the front of her jacket and the pips to her collar, she quickly pulled the jacket on and held out her left arm so her junior officer could escort her properly. "Well, let's go, I'm sure I have a lot to catch up on."  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar and Menem sat across from each other in Jomar's quarters trying to contemplate how their captive had slipped away. They had made a thorough search and discovered two sets of tracks in the snow leading to the opening in the cabin wall, but there had been no indication of those same individuals leaving the way they came in. No, all the tracks had led in and none had led out. How was this possible? And the blowing snow had obliterated any indication of where those tracks had come from long before they were able to follow them far from the cabin.  
  
The shackles had been cut with some type of tool. Of that they were certain. So she was not the demon he had begun to suspect, and it could not have been magic. They also doubted it was the Hakonene. Their enemies had never before invaded their settlement for any reason. Maybe the stranger Janeway had been telling the truth and the rest of her group had found and rescued her. Her escaped companion could very easily have brought them back with her.  
  
However it had happened, they had lost her, and with her their opportunity to get more information from her. She was obviously a stranger, but from where? Jomar needed to find out. If they were from the sky, as it was believed the Hakonene were, then they could pose an even greater threat to the Veret, and there weren't enough of them left to fight another enemy.  
  
"Jomar, what are we to do? If this Janeway comes back with the rest of her group we may be in great danger. They may seek revenge for our holding her and her companion against their will. And what if she has died? We have no idea how many of them there are. We have not seen them. Our numbers are small as it is." Menem was rambling, but he was worried, as were many of the Veret after the strangers had simply disappeared.  
  
Jomar stopped him with a wave of his hand, "Enough! We cannot anticipate whether or not this Janeway will return. We must continue our assault of the Hakonene and deal with Janeway if and when we see her again. If her words are to be believed, she did not intend to be our enemy. We must hope that is truly the case. Pass the word to all the patrols that if they see anyone wearing similar clothing to this Janeway and her companion, they are to be brought to me unharmed. Now go!"  
  
"Yes Jomar."  
  
A moment later Jomar was alone, silently considering their situation. He was also concerned what Janeway and her people might be capable of but he would never allow this concern to show. To do so would only create further doubt and confusion among his men. Something they could not afford if they were to defeat the Hakonene and regain their homes in the caverns. For now they would concentrate on their attack and they would deal with the strangers if and when it became necessary.  
  
=/\=  
  
The turbolift doors opened to reveal Captain Janeway and Tom Paris. Chakotay had heard the customary swish and stood to face them as they stepped on to the bridge. "Captain on the bridge."  
  
The entire bridge crew had immediately gone to attention. "At ease people. Thank you Commander." She released Tom's arm and made her way down the right hand staircase and toward her ready room. "Care to join me?"  
  
"Aye Captain." said Chakotay as he acknowledged her request and quickly followed her through the ready room doors. Once they were inside the room with the doors closed he inquired "How are you feeling? The Doctor updated me on your situation and told me you followed his instructions but."  
  
She interrupted him as she made her way to her desk and sat down. "Not too bad. And Chakotay, I don't need a watch dog, okay? I just banged by head, it's not like it's never happened before."  
  
Her tone was non-confrontational so he decided to back down, for now. "Understood. Sorry."  
  
She looked up at him and smiled, "Don't be. I really do appreciate your concern. I'd just prefer not to dwell on what happened. Have a seat." As he joined her at her desk she continued, "I assume you've been in contact with the Ambassador?"  
  
"As a matter of fact. He expressed his concern for your condition but hoped that we would still consider completing our trade negotiations. I gather that they had something else in mind they could get from us in trade for the raw materials you and B'Elanna were originally looking for, or their conflict with the Veret has them thinking about something else entirely, possibly military aid. They don't seem to be doing well against them at the moment."  
  
She looked thoughtful. "I'm not surprised. The Veret may not be technologically advanced, but they are desperate, and desperate people are capable of amazing and cruel behavior."  
  
"I told the Ambassador that we would speak to him this morning once you were back on duty. What do you say to contacting him and seeing what he has to say? If we handle the conversation properly, it could be most enlightening. Then we can decide on a course of action."  
  
"Agreed." The prime directive being a concern, she wasn't even sure she should bring up the next subject, but she desperately wanted to do something to help the Veret. She had an instinct that they were not by nature the cruel people the Hakonene had described. She was convinced that what fueled their behavior was their treatment by the Hakonene and their basic need for survival. She rose from her chair behind the desk and moved through the room until she was standing in front of the windows looking down on the planet below, obviously deep in thought.  
  
Rising to join her at the window, Chakotay stopped just behind her left shoulder. "Kathryn, what is it?" he said, puzzled by her demeanor.  
  
"I've been thinking. There's got to be something we can do to help the Veret." she said without turning toward him.  
  
Life out here had taught them all a cruel lesson in the reality of being on your own without the Federation to back you up. Kathryn was now much more likely to follow her own instincts and sense of morality than to strictly adhere to rules and regulations. In spite of the action that had stranded them all here in the first place, at the beginning of their journey together Chakotay had been the one more likely to want to bend the rules to help some race or other. While he normally found her to be sympathetic to the cause, she had been a stickler for following protocol. Over the last few years, it was as often her idea as his to assist those in need, and to do what was necessary for Voyager to survive, even if the Prime Directive was less strictly interpreted in the process.  
  
Chakotay had found the role reversal interesting. Lately he was usually the one who encouraged her not to do something that she might regret. It was an ironic twist of fate, and it caused him to smile broadly behind her. "You know we can't interfere in the normal development of alien races." He did actually believe what he just said, but this situation was a little different and they both knew it. He had simply made the comment because he knew it would elicit an immediate response from her. And he was right.  
  
She turned quickly to face him and saw the smile still beaming on his face. She had been ready to confront him, but now knew she had been set up. "You did that to me on purpose didn't you?"  
  
He nodded with a smirk on his face so broad she could plainly see it to either side of the hand he held to his mouth in an attempt to keep from laughing.  
  
She returned his smile and walked to the replicator. "Two cups of hot tea with lemon."  
  
Shocked, Chakotay removed his hand from his mouth. "Tea?"  
  
Walking back to him and handing him one of the mugs she answered, "The Doctor told me no coffee for a couple of days. He said it would only aggravate my headaches. For the moment I'll follow medical orders. But by this afternoon you may all be regretting he gave that order."  
  
They looked at each other and smiled warmly. Janeway then winked at him. Chakotay knew exactly what she meant. Coffee withdrawal for Voyager's captain was not pretty. The headaches must be really bad for her to be so willing to give the Doctor's directive the time of day. She motioned for him to sit and they both sat down in front of the windows on the sofa.  
  
"Now, to get back to the matter at hand. You're right, we can't interfere in the normal progression of a species, but this isn't normal and you know it. If everything checks out as I think it will, the Hakonene have very literally stolen a planet. If they had colonized this world I might have some sympathy, but they have taken over completely and are slowly orchestrating the passive extinction of the native inhabitants. As you said, the Veret seem to be doing well in their attacks for the moment, but you know as well as I do that they will likely lose this fight and end up worse off then they ever were."  
  
He was almost afraid to ask this question. "So what do you have in mind?" he said, taking a sip of his tea.  
  
"Evening the odds."  
  
She was making him drag this out of her. "And how do we do that, exactly?"  
  
"I'm not sure what happened. Maybe they crashed here. God knows no one would pick this planet as their new home intentionally. We would have sailed right on by ourselves if not for the Hakonene hail. From what I can tell, the Hakonene are nervous. I think they feel threatened by the Veret for possibly the first time since they got here, whenever that was. We can use that to our advantage during our upcoming negotiations. We can also establish a trade relationship with the Veret at the same time making it obvious to the Hakonene that we are doing so. While the Veret have nothing we really need, we could come up with something to make them feel it was a legitimate deal. If we play our cards right, it may be possible to work out some kind of a compromise to give the Veret back some of what they have lost."  
  
Chakotay shook his head, "Ambitious plan. But did it occur to you that we could cause more harm than good by getting involved? What you're suggesting is possible, but won't be easy, and is going to be highly dependent on how threatened the Hakonene really feel. Not to mention whether or not the Veret will be willing to compromise."  
  
She turned herself until she had her right arm over the back of the sofa and was looking out the window again with her chin in her hand, looking at the planet. "Yes, it occurred to me. But I think we need to try." She turned back to face him with a determined expression on her face. "So, are you with me?"  
  
"Okay, okay, don't give me that look. I'd like to help the Veret if possible too. We'll have to take this one step at a time and be very careful how we handle things, but I think there's a possibility we can do something. At the very least we can give the Veret a better chance to survive and it would not be considered a violation of the Prime Directive as it would be humanitarian aid as long as we don't provide them with any advanced technology. Where do we start?"  
  
The corners of her mouth lifted into a rather silly grin and she tried to hide it by looking down as if carefully examining the bottom of her mug. She must have thought it was going to be more difficult to convince him. When she had regained her composure, she looked him in the eye and answered his question. "For starters we need more information. We're operating too much on speculation right at the moment and I'm not comfortable with that. We need to find out exactly what the current state of the conflict is and just how worried the Hakonene are. I have a sneaking suspicion that if the Hakonene were capable of eliminating the Veret, they would have done so a long time ago. It is entirely possible that they are not as advanced as they have led us to believe. While their perimeter defenses are fairly impressive, we have seen no evidence of any advanced weaponry, and we only saw the one shuttle. I suspect that they have an ideal planetary defense in the weather itself, giving them a distinct advantage over anyone that would want to trade with them. We simply can't scan the surface properly so we assumed them to on a par with us. That may not be the case. It would probably be helpful to take a closer look at our initial scans of that shuttle. And I'm pretty sure there is a larger Hakonene ship around here somewhere, or at least the remnants of one. I'd love to know where. I'm sure it could provide a great deal of useful information. When did you say you would contact the Ambassador?"  
  
"No specific time other than sometime today. I actually wanted him to sweat it a little. He seemed entirely too anxious the last time we spoke."  
  
"Then we should probably give him a call don't you think?" she said getting a rather devious look in her eyes.  
  
Chakotay shook his head. "Certainly Captain, but try not too look like you're enjoying this so much, it might damage our negotiating position with the Hakonene." he said with a small chuckle.  
  
"When have you ever known me to jeopardize an important negotiation Commander? Rising from the sofa she gestured toward the door to the bridge. "Shall we?"  
  
"By all means." Chakotay led the way silently thinking that the Captain was obviously feeling better, headache or not.  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar had received word through a messenger that the raiding party sent to destroy the largest of the Hakonene shield generators had only been partially successful. Now they were pinned down by Hakonene defense forces and were in jeopardy of being annihilated.  
  
Jomar had given Menem instructions to take a significant force of Veret warriors to finally and completely destroy the shield generator and to rescue the warriors still alive. This was not a simple raiding party they had been deploying until now. Menem had assembled more than fifty Veret warriors. This would be a major assault and a new tactic for Jomar's people. But if they were to be successful in winning back their territory, drastic and creative measures were needed.  
  
Menem faced his warriors. "You know what we must do. We will succeed or die. Follow me."  
  
Menem then led his group out into the swirling snow until they disappeared completely. Jomar had stood next to Menem as he addressed his men and now that they had gone he returned to his cabin and made his way to the shrine he had built there. Lighting several candles, he knelt before it and prayed to his gods for victory for his people. Their future would very likely depend on it.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Captain, how good to see you again. I was pleased to hear you were rescued from the Veret. I'm sorry we could not have done more to assist your officers in the search, but I'm sure you understand our situation." The Ambassador's voice sounded honestly concerned even if his expression looked somewhat less than sincere.  
  
Janeway rose from her command chair and approached the viewscreen. "Thank you Ambassador. It was... an interesting experience."  
  
"Your Commander Chakotay informed me that you are still interested in trading for raw materials even given our current difficulties."  
  
"If possible." The Captain paused, looked down for a moment as if in thought. When she raised her eyes, she crossed her arms over her chest. Chakotay was impressed by how she could use every part of her being when necessary to control a situation. "But of course that would mean a trip to the planet and most importantly the caverns. While we are in need of what you can potentially supply, you must understand that the safety of my crew is paramount. I cannot authorize an away team unless I can guarantee their safety. I would require that they all be allowed to bring phasers, that you boost communication and transporter signals to and from Voyager during their exploration of the caverns, and that they be provided with ample security by your government."  
  
The Ambassador lowered his eyes to the desk in front of him, placed his hands on top of it and leaned forward before he again looked at Janeway and continued, "Captain, I'm sure you can understand that may be most difficult. You yourself."  
  
Janeway cut him off in mid sentence and moved her hands to her hips. "Then we have nothing further to discuss." She turned toward Harry Kim's station as if to give the command to terminate the link. But she did so very slowly, knowing it was simply a matter of time.  
  
Now it was the Ambassador's turn to interrupt, "Wait.we may be able to arrange something. Let me discuss it with the ruling counsel and I will contact you shortly."  
  
Janeway looked back toward the screen. "Thank you Ambassador, we'll await your answer. Janeway out." Then she signaled for Harry to end the transmission and turned toward her first officer who, as usual, was standing directly behind her to her left. Speaking softly she spoke only to him. "Well Commander, what do you make of that?"  
  
He lowered the volume of his response to equal her inquiry, "It seems your hunch was right Kathryn, they obviously don't wish us to leave just yet. You played that beautifully."  
  
"Just lucky. I let the conversation go where it took me. But you're right, we did get part of what we were after. Now we wait."  
  
"Aye Captain."  
  
The two officers turned back to their command chairs and sat down in unison to await a response from the Ambassador.  
  
=/\=  
  
They had barely gotten comfortable when Harry spoke sounding quite surprised to be hearing from the Hakonene so soon. "Captain, we're being hailed."  
  
She looked somewhat surprised herself, lifting an eyebrow at her first officer as she rose to stand before the view screen again, "Very well Harry, on screen."  
  
Harry complied with the order, and to no one's surprise, the Ambassador appeared.  
  
"Ambassador, I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."  
  
The Ambassador looked somewhat apprehensive. "Our ruling counsel was already in session as they are discussing strategies to repel the Veret threat. Although they are very busy, they were willing to address your request as you have been such a valued trading partner, and in light of what happened to yourself and your lieutenant."  
  
"I thank you for your consideration. Has the counsel agreed to my terms?" If she could have gotten away with crossing her fingers as she asked the question, she would have.  
  
"Yes Captain, they have agreed. Although they request that your analysis team consists of no more than four people. Is that acceptable?"  
  
Janeway thought it over for only a moment. "It is. Please provide us with the transport coordinates you establish as secure. Commander Chakotay will lead the team. Is 1400 hrs acceptable?"  
  
"That will be adequate. We will communicate the coordinates within the hour. Let us hope that your team can find something of use to you."  
  
"I sincerely hope so Ambassador and thank you. Please convey my gratitude to the counsel as well. 1400hrs then?" The Ambassador nodded. "Janeway out."  
  
Step one was now out of the way. The next step was to talk to Chakotay about the rest of what she had in mind. She had no doubt that he was pleased she had put him in charge of the away team instead of taking command herself, but she was equally certain that he would not immediately approve of her plan for dealing with the Veret. Some convincing would be required and now was as good a time as any. She turned and strode purposefully toward her ready room. "Commanders Tuvok and Chakotay, please join me."  
  
As the Captain entered her ready room, Tuvok and Chakotay followed sharing a knowing glance. She was up to something, and probably something they were not going to like.  
  
=/\=  
  
As they entered the room they found her already seated at her desk and activating the command console there. "Gentlemen, have a seat. We have some plans to discuss."  
  
Chakotay had informed Tuvok of their earlier discussion. The Captain had insisted on it. It would take the three of them in full cooperation to pull this off. So far Tuvok had seen nothing inherently dangerous in their desire to assist the Veret. But then again, the entire chain of events had not yet been established, it was simply playing itself out with time. He would insist on more formal planning before he would go along with any orders. Perhaps now was the opportunity to do so. But he decided to hold his tongue for the moment, hoping that the reason for this conference was to do that very planning he required.  
  
"Chakotay, I want you to take Seven, Carey and a security officer to meet the Hakonene. Seven and Carey are as familiar with our raw material needs as B'Elanna, and I have another assignment in mind for her. We know they have resources we can use. Even if we aren't in desperate need of what they have to offer, we can use all the supplies we can get our hands on. We also need the ability to bargain with them if we are to assist the Veret. Do your best. And don't stay down there any longer than necessary. I don't want you in danger any more than you have to be. If you get there and you don't feel they have provided adequate security, you are to beam directly back to the ship, understood?"  
  
"Aye Captain. But if you don't mind my asking, what do you have in mind for B'Elanna?" He didn't like the sound of her passing suggestion and wanted to explore it further.  
  
She knew he'd pick up on that, but it was time to approach it anyway. Better to get right to the point. "I've checked with the Doctor and she's been released for duty with a clean bill of health. I need her to accompany me on a visit to our friend Jomar in the Veret settlement." There, she'd said it, quick and to the point. Now it was just a question of waiting for her two officers to get over the initial shock so she could deal with the inevitable fallout. The only unknown was exactly who would speak out first.  
  
Tuvok managed it, but not by much. "I feel that would be an extremely unwise choice at this time."  
  
Tuvok had barely gotten the sentence out of his mouth before she was set upon by Chakotay, "Captain, I can think of many other terms to use beside unwise." His tone of voice had become much more noticeably aggravated as he spoke.  
  
"Chakotay, I have no intention of taking any undue risks, however, we both know that I am the logical one to make contact with the Veret. I promise I will take every precaution for my safety and that of my team, but I will be going on this mission, unless of course the two of you choose to relieve me of duty." She let her challenge hang in the air. She knew neither of them would be willing to do that. The Doctor's report of her condition was not strong enough to use as an excuse, and she was not acting irrationally and they knew it.  
  
Quite frankly, if there had been another choice in the matter she would have sent someone else. She had become extremely tired over the course of the day, and even though she was following the Doctor's orders as best she could, his predictions of soreness and headaches were certainly coming true. But what she said was the truth. There was really no one better qualified to attempt to negotiate with Jomar.  
  
The two men looked at each other and then Tuvok spoke. "Captain, I assume you have some sort of plan in mind for how to handle this so called negotiation. As your Chief of Security, I must insist that you present me with your plan for this away mission before I can consent for it to go forward, Starfleet regulations state."  
  
Feeling the headache behind her eyes beginning to intensify, she leaned forward, resting her right elbow on the desk and massaging her temple with her hand. "Tuvok, there is no need to quote chapter and verse, I know it's your job to enforce all the required security protocols, particularly as they relate to the Captain's safety. Unfortunately, some times we have to be creative. As I mentioned, I want B'Elanna to accompany me. And I'll need a team of six of the biggest and toughest looking of your security officers to go with us, human with dark hair and eyes as well. And before you say it, I considered taking you along, but you don't look anything like a Hakonene or a Veret and I'm afraid that it might be difficult to explain. B'Elanna has already been exposed to them, and as she resembles the Hakonene somewhat, her appearance isn't an issue. They seemed more confused of my lighter hair and eyes than they were by her."  
  
She paused for a moment, but neither officer said anything so she continued. "We'll conduct this mission during a break in the weather. Each of us will carry a concealed micro pattern enhancer and a hand phaser. And we'll take Mister Paris along in the Delta Flyer. His job will be to fly as low as possible and keep a transporter lock on us at all times. Now that we know the coordinates of their settlement the enhancers should make us safe enough." She turned to look at Chakotay as she finished addressing her Chief of Security. "Any objections?"  
  
The look on Chakotay's face spoke volumes, not the least of which was that she imagined he currently had several objections on the tip of his tongue. But she also knew he would not voice them until Tuvok was out of the room as they would more than likely be based on sentiment and intuition rather than fact. Something the Vulcan would not be able to validate. "When do you plan on leaving?" he asked quietly.  
  
Finally dropping her hand from her temple and sitting straight in her chair she replied. "Not until your team has returned, most likely no sooner than tomorrow morning. We're dependent on the weather and I can't afford to have the ship without the majority of its senior officers at the same time."  
  
"A wise precaution." stated Tuvok.  
  
"Thank you Tuvok, now if you would begin the necessary preparations, and select and brief your team, I'll contact you shortly." She moved her eyes to her first officer. "The Commander and I have a few more things to discuss."  
  
"Very well." With his business completed, Tuvok stood and left the ready room, acknowledging Chakotay with a nod as he left. Tuvok was quite sure the nature of the 'few things' the Captain was referring to.  
  
The two remaining officers waited for the doors to slide shut behind Tuvok to provide them with privacy. Janeway knew this would be an interesting discussion. They usually were when she insisted on putting herself in danger, even with good reason. First of all it was Chakotay's prerogative, as well as his duty, to question her on this. Secondly, it was his right as a friend. She would deny him neither. Sitting back in her chair, she rested her head against the neck cushion and laced her hands over her stomach. "Well Commander, spill it."  
  
His tone of voice actually surprised her. She expected anger and instead was met with calm concern. But his eyes met hers with a fiery intensity. "I know there's nothing I can say to change your mind. As much as I hate to admit it, you are probably right. I have no doubt that you have the best chance of being successful with the Veret."  
  
He paused momentarily so she took the opportunity to speak briefly. "Thank you Chakotay, your understanding and support means a lot."  
  
He laughed, then replied "Oh Kathryn, don't be so happy yet, I'm not finished. I'm only being this understanding and supportive because I can see how much helping these people means to you, and because realistically we have no choice but for you to lead the mission for it to have any real chance of success. But if you think for one minute that Tuvok and I can't see you're still feeling the effects of your first experience with them, you're sorely mistaken."  
  
She tried to speak, but he didn't give her the opportunity.  
  
"I know you have another one of the headaches the Doctor warned you about, at least you didn't try to hide that, but you've been moving slower and slower as the day wore on. At the very least, you and I will meet with the Doctor before I leave for the planet so that I can be sure you're not putting yourself in harms way more than necessary."  
  
She knew when she was beaten. "Agreed."  
  
"And there's one more thing." She rolled her eyes in response and he smiled back at her. "I want your promise that you'll turn command over to Tuvok and take the opportunity to get another full night's rest before you attempt this mission of yours, even if we haven't returned from the planet yet."  
  
She watched him as he stood and walked around to her side of the desk only to lean against it where he had the added advantage of looking down at her. She smiled as Chakotay's body language reminded her of Jomar and his attempts at physical intimidation. It must be instinctive in the males of most species. "All reasonable precautions Commander, how could I argue with such flawless logic? Have you been socializing with Tuvok again?" She shook a finger at him briefly and then became serious again. "If it would make you feel better I can take the Doctor along with me."  
  
"That might be a good idea." he said as he held out his hand to help her up. "Come on. Let's get you to sickbay to visit him now. I have to leave in an hour or so you know."  
  
"Don't trust me to go myself do you?"  
  
He cocked his head and glowered.  
  
She took his offered hand gladly and, once standing, she grasped it with her other hand as well and looked deeply into his eyes. "I'll be fine Chakotay, really."  
  
"Probably, but..."  
  
"I know." she said, cutting him off and leading him toward the door she finally released her grip on is hand. "Come on, let's go and get this over with."  
  
TBC 


	8. Part 8

At Face Value - Part 8  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 8  
  
"We're ready for transport," Chakotay's voice came over the comm from the transporter room. "Once we're safely in the caverns, we'll report back."  
  
With the team assembled in the transporter room, Janeway was now ready to send them on their way. "Good luck Chakotay." she said through the comm link. Then she looked toward Harry who was handling the transport from the bridge. "Energize."  
  
Seated in her command chair on the bridge, the Captain was doing well since the encounter with the Veret and was glad to be back where she belonged, if only for a while.  
  
Chakotay and his team materialized on the surface of the planet almost directly on top of one of the openings to the caverns. There would be no arduous trek through the snow this time. And a Hakonene security force of at least a dozen men surrounded them. For the moment, they appeared to be holding up their end of the bargain.  
  
The obvious leader of the group walked up to the Commander and extended his hand in welcome. Chakotay shook it warmly. "Welcome to the surface Commander. Shall we?" He reached into his parka and within seconds the barrier over the cavern entrance disappeared. Chakotay and his team were then lead into the caverns and the opening sealed behind them. There had been no indication of any Veret either on the surface or in the cavern once they were inside and he hoped their good fortune would continue.  
  
"Can I contact the ship from here?" Chakotay inquired.  
  
"You should be able to. We have extended the range of our signal booster to adhere to your Captain's demands."  
  
Chakotay opened his parka and tapped his comm badge. "Away team to Voyager."  
  
Captain Janeway answered the hail. "Voyager here Commander, go ahead."  
  
"We're in the caverns safe and sound. We'll contact you at the identified intervals unless something unexpected arises."  
  
"Acknowledged. We'll look forward to hearing from you. Voyager out." She was relieved that things were so far going according to plan. With any luck they would stay that way. The safe arrival of the away team allowed her to temporarily set her mind to other concerns, namely her mission to the Veret the next day. She began to develop a strategy in her mind for how she would approach Jomar. A key component of the plan to identify what could possibly be used for trade that would help the Veret but would not violate the Prime Directive in the process.  
  
=/\=  
  
Several hours later the Captain was still in her command chair on the bridge, barely able to keep her eyes open. While the away team had consistently reported in at the appointed times, and was having some success in their identification of possible useful mineral deposits, it was getting quite late.  
  
One last snap of her head as she caught herself falling asleep convinced her that she needed to call it a night. Everything had so far been fine with the away team, and unless something went wrong, there was no need for her to be here. She had also made a promise she shouldn't break. "Well gentlemen, I think it's time for me to turn in. Mister Tuvok, you have the bridge."  
  
As she stood and headed for the turbolift, the Doctor, who she knew very well had been hanging around on Chakotay's suggestion that he make sure she actually turned in at a reasonable hour, fell in step behind her and followed her in. "Deck two." she commanded to the air. "Here to make sure I make it home Doctor?"  
  
Feeling somewhat guilty that he'd been so obvious, the Doctor began to apologize. "Captain I."  
  
Leaning against the back of the lift, she held up a hand to stop him. "It's alright Doctor, I don't mind. If I had been exercising my own better judgment, I would have turned over the bridge to Tuvok hours ago."  
  
When the lift stopped at the appointed deck, the two of them walked the few meters to the door to her quarters. "Thank you for escorting me Doctor, but unless you have been ordered to tuck me in, I think I can handle it from here."  
  
The Doctor smiled at her. "Sleep well Captain." he said, then he turned and headed off to sickbay.  
  
She swiftly entered the code to the door in the keypad and stepped into her quarters, ordering the lights to half illumination. She removed her jacket and tossed it in a chair as she headed for the replicator for a cup of herbal tea, as close to a cup of coffee as she was going to get, at least for now.  
  
Taking the mug, she sipped it slowly as she walked back through her living room and entered the bedroom. Within minutes she had donned her nightgown and crawled into bed, placing the half consumed tea on her nightstand. Dimming the lights further, but leaving on a reading lamp at the head of the bed, she opened an antique book she had been reading in a further effort to relax and take her mind off the upcoming mission. Fortunately for her this night, it didn't take long. Almost before she had found her place in the book, her eyes slowly closed and the book fell forgotten to her chest.  
  
=/\=  
  
B'Elanna was finally settling in for the night as well. She had skipped a dinner invitation from Tom in order to make final preparations for the trip to the surface in the morning. Something she wasn't looking forward to. He'd allowed her to have her space for a while, but eventually he had come to collect her from the shuttle bay himself and forced her to return to her quarters for a bite to eat and to get some rest.  
  
Now, sitting beside him on the sofa in her quarters, snuggled under his arm, she knew he was worried about her. She had been moody ever since the rescue and he wasn't sure why. While her wounded leg had been infected and quite painful, the Doctor had taken care of it with little difficulty and the residual dull ache that she felt wasn't nearly enough to be the cause of her unrest. Quite honestly the Captain had actually ended up in worse shape thanks to being bounced off a wall by her favorite Veret.  
  
"You okay?" Tom asked as she sat up and rested her arms on her knees, folding her hands in front of her.  
  
"I'm not sure." she said honestly.  
  
Tom rested his hand on her back and began to rub gently in circular motion, hoping to relieve some of her obvious stress. "Want to talk about it?"  
  
She sat up and turned toward him, "I'm not sure I'd know what to talk about. I guess I'm just restless, I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be. You've had a lot going on in your life the last few months. My guess is this latest episode on the planet with the Captain has simply given you more to think about."  
  
She looked at him intently, gazing deeply into his bright blue grey eyes. "You know, for a pilot you're pretty smart."  
  
"Thanks...I think." he said with a shrug. He pulled her back toward him, wrapping his arms around her protectively. "Listen, I know you've told me what went on down there, but what really went on, I mean between you and the Captain? Something tells me that's what's bothering you. It probably isn't helping that she's taking you back there to face them again."  
  
She squeezed his hand, lifted it to her lap and began examining his fingers. "I'm not sure there's anything more to tell. It's nothing I've been able to put into words. I don't know how to explain it Tom, it's just a feeling, not comforting, not uncomfortable, but it won't go away either. I know you're only trying to help, but I think I need to work on this for myself, at least for the time being."  
  
"Okay, I won't pressure you. When you're ready to talk, you know where to find me. Listen, why don't I get us both a nightcap, maybe it'll help you relax. Then, since you don't seem to be getting anywhere with your dilemma at the moment, we'll come up with something to take your mind of all this for a while. How does that sound?"  
  
She turned, kissed him on the cheek and said, "You're on flyboy, and make that nightcap a strong one."  
  
Tom smiled, kissed her deeply on the lips in return and headed to the replicator.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Away team to Voyager."  
  
"Voyager here Commander." This time it was Tuvok who responded to the hail.  
  
"Well Tuvok, since you're answering I take it the Captain has retired for the night."  
  
"Your assumption is correct Commander."  
  
"We have returned to the beam out coordinates and are ready for transport. Please initialize at your earliest convenience."  
  
"Energize." Tuvok said to the Ensign manning the operations station. Harry had been relieved for the rest of this shift in order to get some sleep as well. He would be returning to the bridge shortly with the rest of gamma shift in order to allow Chakotay, Tuvok and Tom to get some rest along with their Captain. They would all have a big day in the morning. Seven was also slated to handle things in Harry's place until he joined them again later in the day.  
  
"Aye Sir." There was a momentary hesitation then he spoke again. "The away team is in transporter room two, safe and sound. Commander Chakotay is on his way to the bridge."  
  
"Acknowledged."  
  
It was almost 2300 hours when Commander Chakotay, dirty and somewhat disheveled, appeared on the bridge. He and Tuvok supervised the change in shift, turned over command of the bridge to Harry, and then reconvened in the ready room.  
  
Chakotay was pleased with the way the mission had gone. They had found several minerals worthy of trading for during their almost nine hour excursion. Now all that was left to do was to find out what the Hakonene would want in return. Chakotay would handle those negotiations while the Captain was attempting to make contact with the Veret. If all went well, they would have solid information on which to build their final plan by the end of the day tomorrow.  
  
Secure in the knowledge that they had done all they could for the time being, Tuvok and Chakotay also retired for the night.  
  
=/\=  
  
Menem and his party had been successful. They had retrieved the survivors of the original raiding party and completely destroyed what remained of the Hakonene shield generator by setting fire to it. The result was to leave an entire section of the perimeter grid wide open to intruders. Knowing there was no chance for the Hakonene to adequately defend the entire vulnerable area, or rebuild their generator any time soon, Menem decided to lead his men back to their settlement. A full-scale invasion of the caverns could wait until they had tended their wounded and gotten replacements. He and Jomar had also not yet made any plans for entering the caverns. They would need to discuss things further before they were prepared to make that assault.  
  
Menem himself was pleased. He had not been convinced that they would survive this battle but knew that it had been necessary to make the attempt. Now that they had been victorious, he hoped it would send a message to the Hakonene as well.  
  
While gathering his men and organizing litter bearers for the wounded, Menem was unaware that a wounded Hakonene guard was still alive. As he passed what he thought to be nothing more than another body, the guard lifted a shaky hand from under him just long enough to fire his energy weapon. Menem took the shot dead on in the middle of his back, and with an expression of both pain and surprise on his face, collapsed to the snow.  
  
His men were instantly at his side, treating his wounds as best they could, and placing him one of the first litters back to the their settlement.  
  
Mennen's last thought before passing out was that if he died, at least the Veret had a victory to their credit and Jomar would be pleased.  
  
=/\=  
  
She knew the Doctor would not be happy about it, but there was no way that Kathryn Janeway was going to face this day without at least one very large and very strong cup of coffee. She had gotten up earlier than usual this morning thanks to the fact that she had turned in earlier than was normal for her the night before. But she had to admit she had needed the rest, and she felt much better this morning.  
  
She had officially started her day at 0500. Now, several hours later, she was safely ensconced at her desk in her ready room making final plans for the away mission, and wondering how long it would be before the door chime signaled indicating the presence of one particular officer.  
  
She had already gone over the preliminary report of the away mission from the day before. Tuvok and Chakotay had taken the time to leave at least a summary of what they considered to be the highlights from the mission knowing she would be curious as to what had transpired while she was asleep. She wasn't sure if she should be thankful or a little intimidated that her officers knew her so well.  
  
As she closed the report file and set down the PADD, she took a long sip of her coffee, and as if on cue, the door chime sounded. "Come." she said with a knowing smile.  
  
Chakotay entered the room to stand before her desk with his arms behind his back. "Hmm, doesn't smell like tea this morning Captain."  
  
She lifted her head slightly but didn't meet his eyes. "A small indulgence. Helps me think, remember?"  
  
The left corner of Chakotay's mouth lifted in response. "So I've heard."  
  
She motioned toward the chair across from her. "Have a seat."  
  
He sat easily in the chair and made himself comfortable. "I see you've had a chance to review the report Tuvok and I left for you."  
  
She set the PADD on the desk and looked at him. "Just finished it. It was very thorough. Thank you. It looks like you were successful in identifying some things we can use."  
  
"I'd say the mission went well. So what's next?"  
  
"Well, as I said, I'll take my team to meet with Jomar and his people. Once I've made contact, I'll relay a message for you to start negotiations with the Hakonene for the mineral supplies. And when they ask you where I am, I want you to tell them that I've entered into negotiations with the Veret as well. That should make their day."  
  
He was surprised but not shocked by her revelation. This was pure Janeway. He was often amazed at how quick her mind was able to grasp a new situation and come up with a path forward. And even more amazing was the fact that while she didn't always have all the details sorted out, her steely determination to the desired outcome allowed her to make things happen, even when the situation became highly unpredictable. It was not only part of what had earned her the rank of Captain and a ship of her own, it also made her one of the best. "No doubt. When do you plan to leave?"  
  
"I'd like to be on the way in about an hour. I've already left messages for the other members of the away team and I have several crewman in cargo bay one preparing our gear. They should have the last of it packed and ready shortly. Tom and B'Elanna are making final preparations on the Flyer as we speak. We can't rely on the Hakonene signal boosters this time so we'll need the Flyer to get us there and back and support our communications to the ship."  
  
Chakotay was concerned that this might not be enough after the experience of trying to recover the Captain and B'Elanna the last time. "What's the weather look like?"  
  
"Quite good actually. That's why I wanted to get started. Seven has been using every scanning system we have and informs me we'll have a break in the conditions for about five hours. As long as we get on our way by 1100 and back within that window, we shouldn't have any problems."  
  
"That doesn't sound like enough time. The conditions are too unpredictable and I don't want to end up having to send in the troops again."  
  
"Agreed. But you know as well as I do that it's about all the time this planet is likely to allow. I'll make every effort to keep us on schedule." She understood his concern and frankly it was something that concerned her as well. Just another complication in what was likely to be an interesting mission. It was enough that they would deal with the uncertainty of the reception from the Veret without being plagued by the weather. But complications seemed to go with the territory in the Delta Quadrant. She glanced at the computer console on her desk. "Looks like it's time to get going."  
  
"Anything I can do to help."  
  
Gracefully she swung her chair to the side of her desk and stood. "You can walk me down to the shuttle bay if you'd like and we can have the rest of this discussion on the way."  
  
"Gladly."  
  
As they left the ready room Chakotay couldn't help but notice the spring in her step seemed to be back as they walked through the corridor. She must be feeling much better and that was a good sign. He had a feeling she'd need all the energy she could muster when she again encountered the Veret.  
  
=/\=  
  
Only a few minutes later they entered the shuttle bay. There were crewman and members of the away team swarming all over the Flyer making last minute preparations and storing gear and supplies in the aft compartment. As they approached, B'Elanna was just finishing a final inspection of the external shuttle systems. Seeing her two commanding officers, she walked over to great them. "Ready Captain?"  
  
"Yes Lieutenant, I am. Are you?"  
  
"Well, I have no burning desire to meet the Veret again, but I certainly would not have wanted you to leave me out of this mission. Hopefully we'll find them in a better mood this time."  
  
"I hope so too." added Chakotay.  
  
Janeway turned to face him, "Well, I guess that's it then. I have a couple of things to do on the shuttle before we depart, I'll talk to you soon Commander."  
  
"I'll expect almost constant communication, either from you or Tom. And I want you to promise me you'll be out of there at the first sign of trouble."  
  
She smiled at his concern. "I'll do my best." she said as she headed toward the Delta Flyer leaving Chakotay and B'Elanna alone.  
  
"I guess that's my cue." B'Elanna was about to follow the Captain when Chakotay grabbed her gently by the arm.  
  
"Keep an eye or two on her will you? And be safe."  
  
B'Elanna looked up at her commanding officer and friend. There was no doubt as to the seriousness of his request. Janeway had a tendency toward reckless abandon once she had set her mind on something, at least where her own safety was concerned. B'Elanna rested her free hand over Chakotay's, "Don't worry. I'd already planned on it." She patted his hand and he released his grip in her arm. "See you soon."  
  
Chakotay winked at her and smiled and within a moment she was off following the Captain to the shuttle and he was on his way back to the bridge.  
  
By the time he arrived and had gotten comfortable in his command chair, he was hailed from the Flyer. "Delta Flyer to the bridge, permission to depart." requested Tom.  
  
"Commander Chakotay here, permission granted, and good luck."  
  
Tom ran his hands over the controls to engage the engines as he replied. He could already see the shuttle bay doors opening before him. "Thanks Commander. I'll contact you as soon as I have dropped off my passengers."  
  
"I'll look forward to it. Good luck. Chakotay out."  
  
Tom watched the doors open until the signal lights over the door and the indicator light on his panel both signaled the all clear to launch, then he smoothly lifted the Flyer up and out of the shuttle bay.  
  
=/\=  
  
While Tom concerned himself with piloting the shuttle, his passengers were in the aft compartment preparing for their arrival on the surface. Cold weather gear was being donned, and phasers and tricorders were being passed around. The security team also carried the transporter pattern enhancers. These were a smaller variety than the ones they normally used, not nearly as powerful, but still effective. It was an added level of security that they just might need.  
  
B'Elanna stood near the Captain as she was pulling on her parka and reached over to give her a hand. Kathryn winced slightly as the muscles in her shoulder protested the movement, and her expression was not lost on her engineer. "You okay Captain?"  
  
"Fine B'Elanna, thanks. Just some sore muscles."  
  
The Doctor overheard the conversation and moved to stand at their side. "Is there a problem Captain?"  
  
Janeway was getting more than a little frustrated at the 'mother hen' behavior that all of her officers seemed to be participating in. While she appreciated their concern, this was getting ridiculous. "Will all of you stop worrying? I really am fine. The way you're behaving you would think I was on my deathbed. Cut it out, that's an order!" She had said it with her voice fairly low, but they got the intensity none the less. And in the close quarters of the shuttle, the entire team had heard what she had to say. She was confronted with a chorus of "Yes Ma'am." and "Aye Sir." from the whole group, including the Doctor.  
  
For a second or two all was quiet, and then the Captain began to chuckle in spite of herself and before she knew it they were all enjoying a good laugh. If nothing else it served to break the tension. "Alright people, finish getting ready, Tom should have us there any time now." Patting B'Elanna on the shoulder, and looking the Doctor dead in the eye for a moment, she then headed for the cockpit to consult with her pilot.  
  
She climbed the short ladder quickly and moved through the hatch. Tom heard her approach. "Captain, how's everything back there? Ready to go?"  
  
Moving to the console to her right on the upper level behind the pilot she replied, "Just about, what's our position?"  
  
"ETA to beam in point, two minutes."  
  
She knew they had to be close. As soon as they had entered the lower atmosphere, the shuttle had begun to bounce around from the storm turbulence near the surface. Within the last few minutes the buffeting had eased somewhat. Seven's weather prediction seemed to be holding. Janeway punched a few controls on the console. "Right on schedule. Good job Tom."  
  
"My pleasure Captain. Just remember to keep an eye on the weather. It looks good for the moment, but you know how fast things can change around here."  
  
"Seven downloaded her latest astrometric data to the Flyer's database before we left. According to this, the weather window is still on schedule. Let's get moving before your concern has a chance to become reality. Move us into position."  
  
"Yes Ma'am."  
  
Janeway had taken the seat at the console and now took the opportunity to check in with Voyager as she had promised. "Delta Flyer to Voyager, come in."  
  
"Voyager here Captain." It was Chakotay.  
  
"Just wanted to let you know we're about ready to beam in. We'll be maintaining communications silence for the next couple of hours unless there is an emergency. Tom will keep you informed of our position and status as much as possible."  
  
"Understood. Good hunting Captain."  
  
"Thank you. Janeway out."  
  
Well that was it. Now they were on their own. She only hoped that the scenario she had worked out in her mind would actually prove accurate. Otherwise, she would have to be creative. But then again, it wouldn't be the first time. She rose from the chair and headed toward the rear compartment, stopping only to speak to her pilot. "Tom, give me a minute to check on the team and I'll contact you to beam us down. You ready?"  
  
"Aye Captain." He turned his head to look briefly over his shoulder, "Be careful out there."  
  
"We'll do our best." she said with a wink. "We'll stay in direct contact as long as we can until we actually make contact with the Veret."  
  
"Understood. Let me know when you're ready."  
  
Tom turned back to his console and the Captain disappeared through the hatch to the aft compartment. After almost exactly one minute she contacted him and the entire away team was beamed to the surface of the planet a few thousand yards from the Veret settlement.  
  
For a long moment Janeway just stood looking toward their destination. The wind and blowing snow were only a small concern at the moment and she could actually make out the outline of the buildings, even from this distance. The last time she had been here, most of the time she couldn't have seen her own hand in front of her face. She looked around to make sure everyone was with her. "Well people, let's go." And with that they headed through the snow toward the settlement.  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar was kneeling beside the cot where Menem had been placed face down. He glanced toward the heavy bandages covering the massive wound on Menem's back. It was soaked with blood. Jomar frowned and dropped his head, closing his eyes for a moment. When he had regained his composure, he reached out and placed a hand atop his friends' where it lay lifeless and pale beside his face.  
  
Menem was alive, but the healers had said there was no more that could be done. It was only a matter of time. "Who were these Hakonene that they would shoot someone in the back?" he thought. There was no honor in the Hakonene. They were not warriors they were animals. As Jomar sat deep in thought, his friend stirred beneath his touch.  
  
"Jomar?" Menem had whispered his name and was struggling to open his eyes.  
  
Jomar tried to offer some comfort. "Rest my friend, save your strength."  
  
Menem struggled for breath, "No. I must tell you. I have failed you and our people. there is still much to do... and for that I am sorry."  
  
Jomar clutched his hand and moved closer to speak into his ear. "No Menem, no. You could never fail me. You are a brave warrior and a hero. You led your warriors to victory."  
  
Menem coughed, a small trickle of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth. "I'm going to die."  
  
"Menem, you must not say such things." Jomar knew that Menem spoke the truth. He had seen enough death to know that those who were mortally wounded usually knew that they were and were not easily fooled. He had seen the very same thing with his own father when he had died after being wounded by the Hakonene several years before. This fighting had gone on far too long, and the Veret had lost too much. And now Jomar was to loose his closest friend and confidant. They were as close as brothers, maybe closer, and Menem was the closest thing to family he had left. Blinking heavily, Jomar managed to force his tears back behind his eyes.  
  
"Jomar. You must defeat the Hakonene." Menem coughed again, a heaving, gurgling cough that scared Jomar more than anything he had experienced before.  
  
"How can I without you beside me? You must fight to live Menem. I need you." Jomar moved his hand from Menem's and began to stroke the hair on his head.  
  
Even through the pain, Menem knew that his friend was denying the truth. But he loved Jomar and he vowed to try to fight. Maybe he could live long enough to ease Jomar's grief in some small way. "Very well my brother. I will try." And with that he passed out again.  
  
Jomar now let the tears behind his eyes fall as he rested his forehead to the side of his friend's face. Revenge was all he could think about. If Menem died, he would show no mercy to his Hakonene adversaries. Or for that matter, anyone else that got in his way.  
  
TBC 


	9. Part 9

At Face Value - Part 9  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 9  
  
The away team was crouched behind a snowdrift only a few hundred yards from their destination. Janeway and Ayala, who had been assigned by Tuvok as the senior security officer, were observing the perimeter patrols in an effort to time their arrival when they would be most conspicuous. It would help prove their point that they were not the enemy. That is if they weren't shot on sight. "Well Lieutenant, what do you think?" asked the Captain.  
  
"No time like the present Captain." said Ayala knowing there was no such thing as a good time when it came to operations like this.  
  
"Janeway to Delta Flyer."  
  
"Paris here Captain, go ahead."  
  
The transmission was incredibly clear given the circumstances. She only hoped it would stay that way. "We're on our way in. Keep an open comm channel and a transporter lock. Should something go wrong, we'll signal as arranged."  
  
The away team had planned an emergency signal just in case. Both the Captain and B'Elanna had a subdermal transmitter implanted in their forearms. Should the mission go terribly wrong, they were within their rights to simply tap their arm over the transmitter and a signal would immediately be relayed to the Flyer. The system was set to automatically initiate a transporter sequence that would beam them all back to the shuttle. It was the Captain's idea of an added precaution, and it was a good one.  
  
=/\=  
  
It was over in a matter of seconds. As they approached the settlement they were immediately spotted and surrounded by a squad of Veret guards, six in all, brandishing the very same crossbow like weapons that Janeway and B'Elanna were so familiar with.  
  
One of the guards seemed to recognize Janeway, "It's her Kamet, I swear. It's the woman we chained in the cabin."  
  
The guard named Kamet came closer to Janeway, raising his weapon toward her throat. Ayala and one of her other security guards reacted instinctively and reached inside their parkas. But with a wave of her hand they stood still. Janeway swallowed hard, the memory of what an arrow like the one she was staring at had done to her chief engineer still fresh in her mind. "Yes, you're right. I have returned to speak with Jomar. Can you take us to him?"  
  
The guard huffed in disbelief. "You want to see Jomar do you? I'm sure he will want to see you as well. This way." He motioned with both his head and his weapon for them to move toward the center of the settlement.  
  
Janeway moved in front of the guard as ordered and shuddered when she felt the point of a Veret arrow contact the middle of her back. 'Kathryn, no fear, remember!' she silently told herself. Followed shortly by 'One foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other.' It became a mantra for the next few minutes as they tramped through the snow until they arrived at Jomar's cabin and Kamet opened the door to the large outer room. The rest of the guards herded them into the room and Kamet knocked on the door to the inner chamber. The last time the Captain had been here she was hauled away unconscious.  
  
When they entered the outer room, it was filled with people. All of whom stood or turned and took notice of the strange entourage that had entered. Several of the assemblage recognized B'Elanna and Janeway and there were a number that pointed and whispered to their companions.  
  
There had been no initial response to Kamet's knock so he tried again. From behind the group of onlookers, a woman moved toward them. As she got closer, B'Elanna and the Captain remembered her as the woman who had brought them provisions while they were held prisoner. She moved to Kamet's side and took his arm. "He is in there, but he had been very upset about Menem. He."  
  
The woman's words were cut off in mid-sentence as the door to the inner chamber crashed open to reveal an extremely disheveled Jomar, his eyes wild with anger. "How dare you disturb me?" he bellowed so loudly that Janeway was sure they had probably heard him on Voyager.  
  
Kamet cowered, but spoke anyway. "I'm sorry Jomar, but we have visitors." his emphasis on the last word nothing less than cynical.  
  
"What are you." Jomar turned his attention to the other people standing outside his door for the first time and the look on his face could only be described as shock. Moving a few steps through the doorway and into the outer chamber he raised himself to his full height and positioned himself no more than a few centimeters from Janeway as he looked down upon her. "You!" He let his exclamation hang in the air for a moment before continuing, his initial surprise turning rapidly to contempt. "I thought you would be far away by now. How could you possibly be so foolish as to return here?"  
  
Janeway mustered her strength and draped herself completely in her full Starfleet Captain persona, "I wish to talk Jomar. We may be of use to each other."  
  
"Ha!" he laughed in her face. "What could we have to talk about? Why should I not kill you where you stand, and your companions with you?" he said with a sweep of his hand over her head.  
  
"I know about your conflict with the Hakonene. I know they have driven you from your home. And I also know that you are paying a high price to keep up the fight. Do you really wish to continue to watch your people die before your very eyes until there is no one left?"  
  
Janeway's words hit very close to home. Menem was dying in an adjacent room as they spoke. It enraged him that this insolent foreigner would say such things. Without thinking he grabbed her roughly by her arms and lifted her from the floor until she was looking him directly in the eye. "Who are you to say such things?"  
  
She was now so close she could smell the ale on his breath. He was obviously at least somewhat inebriated. He would be difficult to deal with like this, but she had no choice. While she was in some discomfort from his grip on her arms, she was not really being hurt, at least not yet. And she knew she only had seconds to react before her officers would come to her defense. B'Elanna confirmed her suspicion.  
  
"Captain!" the Lieutenant exclaimed as she forced her way through the crowd of people from her position in the back of the group to stand just slightly behind her commanding officer, reaching into her parka as she came.  
  
"Stand down Lieutenant!" Janeway managed to say in a somewhat strained voice as she hung suspended at least half a meter off the floor. "That goes for the rest of you as well. Understood?"  
  
She heard an unhappy chorus of "Aye Sir." but felt the subtle touch of several hands on her sides, supporting her weight as Jomar held her. She would have to remember to thank whoever it was.  
  
Jomar studied B'Elanna. "Ah, the coward who left you alone. I would have punished her severely for her betrayal."  
  
B'Elanna was furious. She took two strong steps forward, saw the look in her captain's eyes and stopped in her tracks. In her Maquis days, she would have reacted very differently to his words. However, she wasn't that person anymore and she trusted the Captain, even if every fiber of her being was screaming at her to show Jomar just what she was really made of.  
  
Jomar was impressed. "You are the leader of your people Janeway. They listen to you. That is good, for their sake as well as yours." he said, practically pressing his nose to hers.  
  
Somehow this was not going as she had thought it would. But then again she really had no idea how it would go, she had simply managed an excellent job of wishful thinking. "Jomar, if you would put me down, we can talk."  
  
"Demanding for one so small aren't you, and a woman at that? Tell me Janeway, where are you from that a woman doesn't know her place?" He was laughing at her as he finally set her back down.  
  
She began rubbing her arms and shrugged her neck and left shoulder when he released her. "Jomar, I believe I can help you. Think, why would I have come back and put myself willingly into your hands if I were here to harm you or your people?"  
  
She had a point. Why indeed! And both she and her friend had obviously made miraculous recoveries from their injuries since their escapes. These strangers were unusual. Maybe there was something to her words. After all, hadn't he gotten what he had wanted in the first place, a chance to learn more about these people by them walking right into the settlement on their own? "Alright Janeway, we will talk, you and I."  
  
He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the inner chamber and slammed the door behind him leaving the rest of the away team to wait and worry.  
  
=/\=  
  
Back on the Delta Flyer, Tom had notified Chakotay that the away team was in the settlement and for the moment they seemed to be safe enough. He had chosen not to tell the Commander all of what he had heard over the increasingly more static laden, but continuous, comm channel. He had heard what had transpired when Jomar had recognized the Captain. While he had seen none of it, he could tell that she was being treated roughly. But she had ordered B'Elanna, and by association the rest of the team, to stand down and they had complied. For the time being he would as well.  
  
On Voyager, Chakotay was now ready to contact the Hakonene as planned. He had no real idea how things were going with the Captain and the Veret, but he would follow through on his end of the bargain no matter what. "Harry, contact the Hakonene, tell them that we are ready to continue our trade negotiations and that I wish to speak to the Ambassador."  
  
"Aye Sir." Harry went to work in a flash on the Commander's request and within no time he was responding. "I have the Ambassador for you Commander."  
  
"Thanks Harry." Chakotay said as he rose from his chair to stand in the center of the bridge. "On screen."  
  
Harry complied with the request and the Hakonene Ambassador appeared. "Commander, I understand you are interested in finalizing our trade agreement."  
  
"You understand correctly Ambassador. We were successful in finding several minerals we can use during our tour yesterday. I have conferred with the Captain and we have also prepared a list of those items we are willing to trade for the mineral supplies. I am ready to transmit that information to you now so that you can look it over until the Captain returns from the surface." Chakotay saw the Ambassador's expression change dramatically as he responded.  
  
"Your captain is on the surface? May I ask where and for what purpose?"  
  
Chakotay looked down briefly to hide his smirk. When he raised his head he was again all business. "She is attempting to establish trade negotiations with the Veret."  
  
The Ambassador's reaction was even swifter in coming than Chakotay had anticipated. "What! She is negotiating with those barbarians? What could you possibly hope to gain by trading with them? Those primitives can't have anything of value to Voyager."  
  
'Score one for Kathryn Janeway.' thought Chakotay. The Ambassador was definitely worried about the possibility of Voyager establishing any kind of a relationship with his enemies. Now the tough part would begin. It was his job to negotiate whatever leverage he could but without giving away anything until the Captain's return. In the back of his mind he was thinking about the away team and how they were doing down on the planet. Before continuing with the Ambassador, he glanced briefly at a chronometer in his console and noticed that the team had less than three hours left before the weather was supposed to turn on them again.  
  
=/\=  
  
The away team stood staring at the door that had been slammed in their faces, leaving them all a little stunned. Jomar had come and gone in a rage and had essentially dragged their captain with him. In the few moments that they would have been able to react to his behavior, she had most definitely ordered them not to get involved. Now she was behind closed doors with him.  
  
The Doctor reacted first, "How could this happen? We can't just let him take her like this!"  
  
"Unfortunately Doctor, yes we can." Ayala stated emphatically. "The Captain obviously wanted us to remain here for the time being. She must feel she can handle this situation herself or she would have given us a clear order to stop him."  
  
B'Elanna had no intention of staying out of this conversation. "I realize the Captain may think she can handle this by herself, but if you remember, I was with her with these people only a couple of days ago and both of us ended up in sickbay thanks to the experience."  
  
Ayala tried to calm the heightened emotions around him. "I know that B'Elanna. But the Captain obviously knows this Jomar much better than we do. I think we should trust her judgment on this."  
  
The Doctor and B'Elanna continued to protest and Ayala raised his hand to stop them. Tuvok had assigned him as the ranking security officer on this detail and he was taking the responsibility seriously. "Look I'm as concerned about her as you are. But I vote we give her the opportunity to handle the situation on her own, as she appears to want to do, at least for now. By the way, take a look around, we're surrounded by armed guards, just what did you have in mind?"  
  
The team had temporarily forgotten about that small detail as they had been distracted by Jomar's behavior. The squad of Veret guards that had captured them had not moved a muscle through the whole encounter and appeared to be awaiting instructions themselves. After a few moments with all of them standing in the outer chamber staring at each other, Kamet regained his senses and obviously had decided that this was no place for them to be for the present. He motioned for his captives to move to the right, in the direction of another doorway at the far end of the corridor. "You will wait in there." he said as he opened the door to what appeared to be the Veret version of a mess hall.  
  
The away team did as instructed, knowing that at any time they chose they could more than likely take over the situation themselves. At the very least they could contact the Flyer for a beam-out. But that wasn't their mission and they knew it. None of them were willing to accept defeat just yet, even though they were all worried about what Jomar would do.  
  
Once they were alone, B'Elanna took the opportunity to contact Tom. "Away team to Delta Flyer."  
  
Tom was relieved to actually be hearing a report from the team. The bits and pieces he had intercepted over the comm channel had only served to unnerve him. "I'm here B'Elanna, what's going on down there. From the sound of it, the Captain has her hands full."  
  
"Actually Mister Paris it's more accurate to say that Jomar has his hands full. of the Captain." This coming from the Doctor who had exercised remarkable restraint to this point, but was now taking the opportunity to continue venting at the treatment the Captain had received.  
  
Ayala frowned. "Doctor, your sarcasm notwithstanding, you're right. This guy hasn't treated Captain Janeway very well so far, but at the moment I don't think she's in any real danger." Ayala changed his attention to Tom in the Delta Flyer, raising his head slightly as he spoke as if speaking directly to the officer in the shuttle far above the settlement. "Tom, we've been separated. Captain Janeway is with Jomar in his chamber and we've been confined in another room. Can you get a fix on her?"  
  
"Acknowledged, I'll switch the open channel to her comm badge so I can monitor what's going on in there."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Wait, you're not planning on beaming her out of there right in front of Jomar are you?" This from B'Elanna, whose sudden change of heart was inspired by the knowledge that the Captain would be more than a little angry if they were to beam her out without a direct order from her unless she was in real danger. And even though they had been splitting hairs with the Prime Directive lately, that course of action would definitely be a violation, and another reason to make Janeway very unhappy.  
  
Another of the security officers decided to join the conversation. "So what do we do? We can't just leave her in there with him."  
  
"Well, someone needs to make a decision." barked the Doctor while he turned to face B'Elanna. "Lieutenant, you're the ranking officer at the moment. Say something decisive."  
  
Placing one hand on her hip and rubbing her Klingon brow with the other she began pacing the room, her thoughts in obvious turmoil. "B'Elanna?" questioned Ayala.  
  
She moved back and forth across the room two more times and then stopped in mid stride. "Bottom line is that the Captain came down here to try to help these people. And no one knew better than she did what she was getting into. Ayala's right. I don't think we have any choice but to give her a fighting chance to do what she came here to do. Tom, let Chakotay know what's going on down here. See if they have any suggestions. Keep that link open to the Captain's comm badge and see if you can get a fix on her. Keep the lock live, but don't act on it unless one of us or the Captain herself give the go ahead. If the situation starts to deteriorate, send an audio signal directly to Ayala or myself. In the mean time, we'll see what we can come up with on our end. We'll contact you again shortly as long as we don't have company."  
  
"Ok, but be careful down there. And keep in mind that the window on the weather is closing fast. By my count we only have about three hours left."  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar released her arm as soon as they had gotten behind closed doors and stomped over to the fire. Now he was pacing. Kathryn smiled, recognizing herself in his movements. She was known for doing the very same thing on her bridge from time to time. She was also rubbing her arm vigorously knowing it would be bruising under the material of her uniform. Just as she was certain bruises were forming on her upper arms where Jomar had roughly lifted her from the ground in the outer chamber of the cabin.  
  
Suddenly Jomar stopped pacing and turned to face her. For the moment he kept his distance. "So Janeway, you say you came here to talk. Get on with it before I change my mind about allowing you the chance."  
  
She spoke in a fairly soft even tone of voice hoping to defuse some of his apparent anger. "As I said before, I think we can help you."  
  
Her trick seemed to work to a certain extent, as the tone of his next response wasn't nearly as confrontational. "So you have said. And in what way do you think you can help my people?"  
  
Janeway moved carefully toward the pictograph on the wall that she had seen when she had been here before. She stopped several feet from it so as not to defile the shrine beneath it. "I saw these when I was here before. The Veret lived in the cavern before the Hakonene came didn't they?"  
  
He was curious now. She had shown respect for his parent's shrine and deduced the meaning of some of the pictures his ancestors had drawn. Maybe she could be trusted. He moved to stand near her and looked down into her eyes. Then he moved past her, pausing to stand before the shrine and bow his head. Then he stepped toward the wall and the remaining pictures, pointing toward them as he began to tell the story of his people.  
  
"You are observant Janeway. Two generations ago, the legend tells that the Hakonene arrived from the sky with machines and magic. They forced my people from their cavern home into the cold of the surface world. Many died before we made it to the shores of the southern ocean. We were able to find food there by hunting and fishing, and there were forests that we harvested to build shelters and fires. But with time, the storms and the cold were unyielding, and many became sick with disease. There were five thousand of us when we were forced from the cavern. By the time my father came to be leader, there were only eight hundred."  
  
She was shocked by the devastation Jomar's people had suffered because of their forced exile. In her experience most species of humanoids had a period of thirty to seventy years between generations. That would mean that even accounting for a certain number of new births, the Veret had to have lost a great deal more than their original number in a very short time.  
  
"When did you start the war with the Hakonene?"  
  
"When my father came to understand that we would all die unless we fought for our underground home. My grandfather had been the tribal leader when we were forced from the caverns. The Hakonene leader murdered him to instill fear in the Veret people. My father's life was spared then only because he was so young. My grandmother told me that his captors believed to kill one so young would only anger the other Hakonene."  
  
He paused in his story to look directly at Janeway. He saw only interest and sympathy in her eyes so he continued. "When my father was old enough, he became the tribal leader as was his birthright. He watched many of our number perish as he grew up and it made him very bitter. When he came to power he began to train an army of warriors to one day take back the caverns. Over time they built a series of settlements like this one closer and closer to the Hakonene until one day they decided it was time. They formed raiding parties and attacked the outlying Hakonene settlements one by one in order to surround the central cavern."  
  
So what the Hakonene had told her was largely true. There had been perimeter attacks by the Veret against them. But they had left out the very important fact that it was because they had been forced out of their home only to die on the surface. They had every reason to want to retake their home by any means available to them.  
  
Jomar continued, "The tactic worked for some time until they tried to take the central cavern. The Hakonene defenses were too strong and my father and his warriors were never able to penetrate them. My father had been wounded in the assault on the city and died during the retreat here. I was only five seasons old. I never really knew him. In the end I lost the rest of my family to starvation and disease as we were forced to slowly retreat back to the ocean."  
  
"I'm sorry Jomar." It was all she could think to say.  
  
He turned again toward the shrine and bowed his head as if in prayer. When he turned back to face her again there was a fire in his eyes she had never seen before. "When I was old enough, my turn came to be leader. I vowed to avenge my people and the deaths of my father and grandfather. When we returned to the settlements, one by one we restored them and have stocked them with supplies and moved many warriors there. We have slowly left the southern ocean behind us forever and we only look forward. This time we will not stop. We will win back our home or we will all die in the attempt. We will flourish again or we will cease to exist." His voice was almost a growl now. Fierce was the only word she could use to describe it.  
  
He had told quite a story. The main thread of which she had already surmised from the pictographs and the information she had picked up from both the Hakonene and Jomar. It was a classic example of the powerful invader throwing the weaker natives to the wolves. It had certainly happened enough in the Alpha Quadrant, even on Earth, why not here. Chakotay would probably be very interested in this story as it was eerily similar to the plight of his own people against the Cardassians and the reason for the formation of the Maquis.  
  
They had been standing during his entire narration, and now that there was a pause, Janeway began to realize that she could feel the early stages of her next headache working their way to the bridge of her nose. "Jomar, I am saddened by your story. I had some idea of what must have happened to your people, and the facts are worse than I imagined, but I still believe I can help you."  
  
"In what way?"  
  
"My people and I have been in contact with the Hakonene." Janeway noticed that her statement attracted his interest immediately. To his credit he held his temper in check.  
  
"You have. For what purpose?" he replied, his hatred of the Hakonene clearly visible on his features.  
  
Kathryn Janeway carefully considered her words. The next few minutes would likely make or break her entire plan. "As I told you before, we came here to trade. We met them first and were able to obtain some of our supplies from them. When you captured us in the caverns we were on our way to meet them to finalize one of our arrangements. Now I would also like to arrange for trade with you and your people. We can offer you food and we have a healer in our group who may be able to help with the injured and the sick."  
  
Now he was truly interested, was there a chance that this healer could know more than the Veret healers? He thought it possible. Janeway had certainly recovered from her previous injury quickly enough to be standing before him now. If so, maybe they could help Menem. But he had to be careful. He did not want his deep interest to openly show to this woman. He did not want to give her any advantage whatsoever. "What could we possibly have to offer you in return?"  
  
"Your people have much to offer Jomar, your artwork and trade goods for a start, as well as your guidance in locating hunting and fishing grounds. We can always use fresh meat and fish. Most importantly we want your friendship. We would like you as an ally, not an enemy. A guarantee of safe passage through your territory now and in the future for my people would be valuable to us."  
  
He thought for a moment and then he had an idea. Maybe there was a way to test her and help Menem at the same time. If she was lying, Menem would die anyway, but if she was telling the truth. "Very well Janeway, where is this healer of yours?"  
  
"He is with the group that came with me. I assume they are still here in the lodge somewhere." She actually had been curious as to where her people had been taken. She had heard shuffling outside of the door shortly after Jomar had dragged her into his chamber. "He is called the Doctor."  
  
Jomar wasted no time. He moved to the door and flung it open so hard it almost bounced off its hinges. "Kamet!" he yelled into the opening.  
  
Kamet appeared seconds later, out of breath, and looking somewhat intimidated. "Yes Jomar!"  
  
"Bring the captive called Doctor to me at once." he bellowed and then slammed the door again.  
  
"Certainly Master." Kamet turned on his heals and was on his way down the corridor before he had even finished getting the words out of his mouth.  
  
TBC 


	10. Part 10

At Face Value - Part 10  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 10  
  
Stepping into the room the Doctor noticed the Captain standing near the back of the room by what appeared to be some type of altar. His first activity was a careful visual examination of his commanding officer. All of the away team members had been very worried about her and he was finally getting the opportunity to find out how she was. Luckily she was now moving toward him which would allow him a closer look. "Captain?" he inquired when she was finally next to him.  
  
"I think Jomar may have need of your services, but he hasn't given me anything specific to go on yet." She lifted her hand to her forehead and rubbed the bridge of her nose.  
  
He was concerned so he asked her again softly, "Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine Doctor, just a bit of a headache." she said, and then looked up toward Jomar, removing her hand from her head and resting it on the Doctor's arm. "We have work to do."  
  
Jomar was now walking over to them after getting rid of Kamet. "You will come with me." he said as he again grabbed Janeway by the arm and led her, with the Doctor now in tow, through a narrow doorway to the side of the fireplace that Janeway hadn't noticed before. As they passed through the door, they could barely make out anything in the dim lighting. The room was a comfortable temperature, as the stone from the fireplace chimney radiated heat from the fire into the space. When their eyes adjusted, they could tell it was a sleeping chamber.  
  
Following Jomar toward the back of the small room they could see there was a cot with a man lying on his stomach on the bed. Jomar released her arm and went to the bedside and knelt next to it, reaching his hand out to touch the man's head. He groaned softly and turned his face slightly in the direction of his visitor. As he did so, Janeway was able to recognize him as the leader of the Veret raiding party that had attacked her, B'Elanna and the Hakonene, and who had identified her to Jomar. He did not look well.  
  
Jomar turned to speak to her, "Janeway, this is Menem. I think you have met."  
  
"Yes, I believe we have."  
  
"He was badly wounded in the last battle with the Hakonene. Our healers have done all they can for him, but they say he will die. If your healer can help him I will consider your offer."  
  
Janeway looked up at the doctor. "Well, what do you think?"  
  
"I'm a doctor, not a fortune teller. I can't promise I can save him, I haven't even examined him yet."  
  
She rolled her eyes at the same time she dropped her head and gave him one of her patented looks, "Doctor."  
  
"Very well, I'll see what I can do. But what am I allowed to use?"  
  
She knew exactly what he was asking. She didn't really want him to use any advanced technology in front of Jomar, but she knew it would be a stretch for Jomar to trust them enough to leave them alone. Raising her hand to the side of her face she paced a few steps back and forth, obviously deep in thought. And after a few seconds she came to the conclusion that the Hakonene had already exposed the Veret to enough technology to fill a cargo bay. What could a little Starfleet technology hurt? But she would let him make the decision. "Jomar, the Doctor has special machines and medicines that he uses to heal people. It is not magic, but it may appear similar to some of what you have called magic from the Hakonene. They may be needed if he is to cure your friend. Will you allow him to use them?"  
  
Jomar was amazed. This Janeway was asking permission. The Hakonene would have simply done what they wanted. These strangers were indeed unlike his enemies. And in that instant Jomar made a leap of faith that he had never made before and determined to trust these strangers. "You may use whatever you need to if it will help him."  
  
Janeway looked long and hard into Jomar's eyes and then nodded. "Doctor, your patient." said Janeway as she swept her arm in Menem's direction.  
  
"Can we get more light in here so I can see what I'm doing?" It really wasn't a request it was a demand. The Doctor wasn't often difficult since his programming had matured, but he wasn't in his own element at the moment.  
  
Luckily Jomar only seemed interested in the possibility of getting help for his friend. Leaving the room for a moment he returned with a group of Veret warriors who unceremoniously moved both Janeway and the Doctor aside in order to lift the cot and carry it to the main room. At the same time, the woman who had brought B'Elanna and Janeway food during their captivity was clearing off the large table in the main room near the fire and covering it with several blankets. Once the blankets were in place, Jomar's men lifted Menem carefully from the cot and placed him on the table. The Doctor now had all the light and space he could possibly want to work.  
  
"Thank you." he said looking directly at Jomar, and then he turned and went to work.  
  
As the Doctor treated Menem, Janeway knew that time was running short on the weather window that they had taken advantage of. She needed to speak with her people, and soon. Walking over to Jomar where he stood watching the Doctor she decided to ask. "Jomar, I have not seen my people for some time. I'm sure they are concerned. May I be allowed to see and speak to them please?"  
  
Jomar was intent on watching this healer work. There was a magic box with flashing lights that fascinated him. He couldn't possibly imagine what it was for. For the moment he felt it was probably all right for Janeway to be with her group. He could call for her whenever he wanted to. Not taking his eyes from the Doctor and Menem he ordered Kamet to take Janeway to her team and the woman to bring them food and drink.  
  
She followed Kamet this time, his weapon sheathed on his back instead of pointed at hers.  
  
=/\=  
  
The team had been silent for some time after the Doctor was taken, all deep in thought. They at first thought something had gone wrong with the Captain, but as soon as they were alone, they contacted Tom and now knew that the transmissions he was monitoring indicated that all was well, at least for now. Tom had also relayed a message back to them from Commander Chakotay confirming that they should sit tight for the time being, giving Janeway a chance to accomplish her mission was paramount.  
  
They had just finished their last conversation with Tom when Ayala indicated from his post near the door that someone was coming. He backed away and stood in a defensive position just in case the approaching group was hostile in any way.  
  
When the door swung open and Kamet stepped out of the way, they were relieved beyond words to see Captain Janeway step quietly into the room, but no more so that she was to see them alive and well. She trusted Jomar, but still, there was that small but nagging concern she always felt when she was on an away mission and separated from her people.  
  
Once she had passed completely into the room, Kamet closed and secured the door behind her. The team watched her from their positions for a second or two, not knowing who should speak first until she took the choice away from them. "So, what have all of you been up to while I've been doing all the work?"  
  
Her comment served it's purpose as an icebreaker and within seconds, staying within the boundaries of Starfleet protocol of course, they were all talking at once, asking her what had happened with Jomar, where was the Doctor, what were they to do. She moved through them toward B'Elanna who had been sitting at one of the tables in the room.  
  
When B'Elanna heard Janeway enter, she rose and turned toward the door and was now standing near the edge of the table. Janeway walked to within a few inches of B'Elanna and stopped to speak to them. "Slow down everyone, you'll get your answers and your orders shortly. For the moment can you let Lieutenant Torres and I have some privacy?"  
  
As usual, when the Captain made a request, people did as asked as if she had issued a stern and direct order. They had learned over time that with Janeway they were often one and the same. It was simply her style. Unless in a crisis, or under attack, she generally tried to make orders sound like requests. For her it was simply her acknowledgement that they were individuals as well as junior officers and crew and they deserved to be treated with respect. To them it made her seem more human, more approachable. And they respected her for it in return.  
  
Once the rest of the team had scattered to give them some privacy, Janeway reached out her hand and took hold of her engineer's arm while she slowly lowered herself to sit with one leg on the top of the table. B'Elanna noticed the briefest shadow of fatigue pass across her face as she slid herself onto the table but chose to ignore it for the moment.  
  
"Captain, what's the plan?"  
  
Janeway smiled knowingly, "Plan? That went out the window a while ago. But it wasn't that solid to begin with." she said, a little under her breath, with her smile turning just a little conspiratorial.  
  
B'Elanna wasn't really surprised by this revelation. There would have been no way to accurately predict what would happen on this mission. She knew Janeway had a strategy, but the tactics would have been a bit up in the air out of necessity. She was playing this one by ear, finding her way through the events as they happened with an ultimate goal in mind but no specific, detailed idea of how to get there. Whether she was a master at it before she was assigned to Voyager or not, her Captain had certainly become one since.  
  
"Look B'Elanna, I'm not sure how much time we have here. Have you had any contact with the Flyer or Voyager?"  
  
"Almost constantly. The Veret have left us alone for the most part. That has allowed us to relay messages back and forth. Tom has also been keeping an open channel to your comm badge. He's been monitoring your situation with Jomar to make sure things were all right. We were worried after that display in the hallway."  
  
Janeway chuckled softly. "I can imagine. For a moment or two I was concerned myself. And if Tom's been monitoring, then I'm sure he's given you the updates. You must know what went on in there."  
  
"Right up until a few minutes ago, yes. Tom had to take time out to report back to Voyager. We were wondering why the Doctor was summoned."  
  
"Jomar's friend Menem was severely wounded in a raid on the Hakonene. The Doctor is treating him now. I think it will gain us some leverage if the Doctor can help him."  
  
"And what if he can't?" said B'Elanna with an edge of concern.  
  
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now all is well in there. But I think we're going to miss our transport window."  
  
B'Elanna knew the consequences of the choice the Captain was making and found herself just a little surprised that she supported it. "Chakotay and Tuvok won't be pleased. But if you think you're making progress than we need to continue."  
  
"I was hoping you'd say that, now all we have to do is convince the others."  
  
B'Elanna took a chance again. "Just don't make me regret it. If we miss that window, we may be down here for a while. Are you sure you're up to this after the last few days? Both of us spent some time in sickbay, but as I remember, the Doctor had wanted you to take it easy for a while."  
  
A flash of anger passed through her brain and almost made it to her mouth, the word insubordination accompanying it, but she put herself in her young lieutenant's position and realized that she would probably have reacted the same way if the situation were reversed. She also smiled at the thought that if Chakotay were here he would be asking the very same question. She was obviously taking after her friend in more ways than one. The fact was that she just might be alive and kicking largely because of this occasionally brash, often brilliant, half Klingon engineer. "Yes, he did, and I'm also well aware that I have you two to thank for getting me out of here the last time. I promise I'll try not to seem ungrateful by getting myself in any more trouble than I have too, deal?"  
  
Janeway reached out her hand to B'Elanna who took it and held it firmly in her own. They had come a long way in a couple of days in their relationship. B'Elanna knew without question that she would follow the Captain's orders to the letter. But she also knew that she would not let her put herself in any danger if she could help it.  
  
"Okay then, let's make that call."  
  
=/\=  
  
As predicted, Chakotay was not happy. Tuvok, who was not normally supposed to show emotion of any kind, was acting as if he was greatly perturbed, by Vulcan standards anyway. Tom had relayed all the appropriate conversation back and forth between Voyager and the surface and had listened to most of it, that is, when he wasn't monitoring the Doctor and his situation. He could already pick up a small amount of static in the connection due to the rapidly approaching storm. Then he heard, "Voyager to Delta Flyer."  
  
"Paris here Sir. Go ahead." It was Chakotay hailing. He had just had a conversation with the Captain that Tom had politely left private between them.  
  
"Tom, it looks as though the away team still has work to do. I want you to stay down there as long as you can until the transmission is lost and then get back up here. We won't be retrieving the team just yet."  
  
"Understood. Does Seven have any idea how long until the next window?" Tom was concerned about B'Elanna being in harms way. He didn't like it when she was away from him for any great length of time, even for a worthy cause.  
  
"It's beginning to look like early tomorrow morning. We are going to have to leave them down there for the night. Relay that to the Captain and tell her we will expect to hear from her at 0800. Otherwise, we send in the troops. Got it?"  
  
"You're sure about this?"  
  
Chakotay was agitated and it was reflected in his tone. "You have your orders Mister Paris. Carry them out."  
  
Tom didn't miss the fact that Chakotay had not directly answered his question. "Aye Sir. I'll contact you when I've lost the comm signal. Paris out."  
  
He had not really meant to snap at Tom, but it happened anyway. Chakotay was deeply concerned about being out of touch with the team for such a long period of time. The Captain's back up plan of using the hidden transmitters that she and B'Elanna had implanted would no longer be an option. The weather would make it impossible. Things had gone well enough so far, but Jomar appeared to be an extremely volatile character. Kathryn seemed to have tenuous control over the situation but how long would it last. And she had sounded tired when they spoke, her short away mission now turning in to more of a marathon than she had planned.  
  
He also knew Tom was more than likely worried about B'Elanna being down there too. But Chakotay was actually glad of that. He knew without a doubt that she would keep an eye on their Captain. Kathryn had an annoying tendency to take too many risks with herself as long as she felt there were no possible consequences to anyone else, a trait that could drive most of her senior staff crazy at times like this.  
  
For the time being they would simply have to sit tight and wait. At least he had the situation with the Hakonene to keep him busy. Kathryn had put him in charge of that side of the equation and he was determined to have everything ready when she returned.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway and B'Elanna had taken care of their communication with the ship and with the rest of the team. Based on what they knew at the moment, Voyager would have to leave them alone until the next break in the weather, and that wasn't expected until the next day. The problem being that the team on the surface was in control of where and when the communications could take place. Their desire to protect the Prime Directive as much as possible making it almost impossible for anyone on the Flyer or Voyager to anticipate anything and take appropriate action without risking the success of the mission.  
  
The Captain was keenly aware that her officers and crew on the ship hated playing waiting games. She despised it enough herself when it happened to her, so she could understand the tone of voice that both Chakotay and Tuvok, yes even he, had used with her during their last communication. But now they were on their own again, at least until morning.  
  
The team had managed to get something to eat, thanks to being brought food and water by the same woman that had done so for she and B'Elanna when they were last here. Now, having finally removed her heavy parka and making herself comfortable, she and B'Elanna and Ayala were talking quietly where they sat at the end of one of the tables. Janeway had to admit that she felt somewhat better after having a bite to eat and getting the chance to get off her feet for a time. But now she needed to get back in with the Doctor. She did not want to leave him alone with Jomar for too long.  
  
As if on cue, the door to the room swung open to reveal Kamet and another guard. "You will come with me!" ordered Kamet, looking only at her.  
  
"Looks like I have another audience with Jomar." she said to B'Elanna and Ayala as she rose from her seat, placing her hand briefly on B'Elanna's shoulder as she passed. "You're in charge until I get back Lieutenant."  
  
"Aye Captain." she replied.  
  
Janeway grabbed her parka and was led back through the corridor to the main chamber and let inside. She entered the room and turned to where the Doctor had been working on Menem when she left and stopped in her tracks. The Doctor was working skillfully on the Veret raider. Menem's back was completely exposed and covered with blood, as were the sleeves and the front of the Doctor's uniform. Jomar was seated in a chair in the corner of the room looking as if he were in shock.  
  
"Captain, I need your help. Please come here."  
  
The look on her face must have spoken volumes because when she approached and the Doctor looked at her he was immediately alarmed. "Captain, is everything alright?"  
  
"I believe I should be asking you about that Doctor." She actually thought she was might be sick from the vision of all the blood Menem had lost.  
  
The Doctor looked into her eyes and then realized she was misinterpreting his request. "Everything is fine, including our friendly Veret here. I have managed to work another miracle." he said, with a patently smug expression. "He will need time and rest to recover, but this gentleman will live to fight another day. However I'm hopeful he won't need too when we have finished this mission."  
  
Janeway was intensely relieved. "I sincerely hope you're right Doctor. Now, what can I do for you?"  
  
"Quite honestly I needed you to speak to Jomar over there. I could use a hand cleaning up here and making Menem more comfortable somewhere other than this table. And it appears you are the only one who can reason with him. He has barked at everyone else who has come in here and chased them away."  
  
For the first time she took notice of the fact that the room was empty with the exception of the two Veret, the Doctor and herself. Janeway looked over at Jomar. He actually appeared to be in shock. Or maybe he was simply exhausted.  
  
She was keenly aware of the stress associated with leadership, especially when you were in a command position. It was an interesting dichotomy. At times it was a wonderful and rewarding experience, while at others it seemed the weight of the responsibility would smother you. She also knew that people who were born leaders were generally molded by life circumstances in a way that they had no choice but to follow their nature. Most of the people who she knew and respected as true leaders had rarely planned their life or career path. It had simply happened to them, her career a perfect example. If anyone had asked her where she would be fifteen years ago, her answer would not have been 'In command of a starship on the other side of the galaxy'. At that point she had been content to be a science officer. But fate had other ideas, and now she was living her life as best she could.  
  
Now that she thought about it, her life on Voyager often seemed a roller coaster ride between the high of the adrenaline rush of mental and physical challenges, and the corresponding low of the exhaustion which followed. Jomar appeared to her to be in one of those lows. She hoped she could help.  
  
Setting her parka on a chair, she approached him carefully, so as not to alarm him in any way. She softly spoke his name, "Jomar?"  
  
He turned his head slightly toward her and stared at her with weary eyes. "Your healer is finished is he not?" he said quietly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
He looked back briefly toward Menem and the Doctor. "I have seen things I never expected to see today Janeway. I thought of stopping this man of yours many times." He closed his eyes and hung his head for a second and then looked up at her again, wringing his hands. "But I trusted in your words. You have shown respect and kindness toward my people, even with the way we have treated you. And I was afraid to lose my friend. If he were to survive, it would only be because your words were true and this healer could help him." He hesitated once more, almost afraid to ask the question burning in his soul, "Will Menem live?"  
  
Janeway moved closer to him and crouched on one knee before him so she could look him directly in the eye. "Yes Jomar, the Doctor believes he will recover. He would like some assistance to make him more comfortable. May we have your permission to ask those outside to help?"  
  
Jomar simply nodded and then buried his face in his hands. As she rose and headed toward the door, Janeway wasn't sure what the bond was between this Menem and Jomar. He had not mentioned him when he had relayed the story of his people to her so she doubted he was a blood relative. But she also knew how close people could become through shared needs and experiences. That was what Voyager was all about.  
  
Her thoughts momentarily drifted to her ship and crew and her conversation with Chakotay when it became evident that they would have to stay behind and out of communication for several hours. They were very close. Possibly as close as two people could be who were not romantically involved with one another. She could not imagine her life without him in it, and she imagined that must be what Jomar had been going through since Menem was hurt. She truly empathized.  
  
Opening the door to the outer chamber, she found Kamet, several guards, and the woman who seemed to always be there. She spoke to Kamet and the woman identifying what was needed and then went back to the Doctor. "We should have help for you in a moment Doctor. Is there anything I can do?"  
  
"Certainly Captain, thank you, help me with these bandages if you don't mind."  
  
=/\=  
  
For the next hour, Janeway, the Doctor, and the Veret worked to get Menem cleaned up and comfortable. They also located him back in the room behind the fireplace with fresh blankets and additional candles so the Doctor could tend to him as needed. During the entire time, Jomar sat in the chair that Janeway had found him in previously, or stood with his arm resting on the right side of the fireplace mantle, staring into the flames.  
  
Now that they had finished, the Doctor was in the back room with his patient and Janeway was just leaving him, closing the door behind her as she reentered the main room. Jomar was still at the fireplace. He had apparently dismissed the rest of the Veret, but there was more food, water, and some of the ever present ale sitting on the table.  
  
Janeway went to a wash basin in the corner, rinsed her hands, and then her face, relishing the cool refreshing feeling on her skin. Now all she wanted was to sit down. Her second wind had long since played out and she was suffering. The headache that had started earlier had never really gone away, and now she was fighting an extreme fatigue as well. She made her way to the bench at the table and slowly sat down, her overworked and assaulted muscles severely protesting the movement. She had been stiff and sore before all this started, and between being tossed around by Jomar, helping with Menem, and simply being on her feet almost the entire time, she'd had enough for one day.  
  
She had the fleeting thought that she wasn't even sure what time it was anymore. It had to be at least early evening by now, quite possibly later than that. She would need to secure a place for her people for the night, even if it was only the Veret mess hall. She wanted all of them together and was fairly certain that Jomar would be willing to grant her request.  
  
"Jomar, I need to speak with you." she said quietly.  
  
He ignored her.  
  
"Jomar, please." There was just a hint of frustration in her voice as she continued. "Menem will be well again. And your people need you. I know you are tired, and you doubt your ability to go on. I have felt as you do now many times. But you will find a way to get through it and move on. You need to trust in yourself."  
  
Slowly turning his head toward her he fixed his dark eyes on hers and she almost thought she saw the faintest hint of a smile on his face. He pulled himself away from the fireplace for the first time in a long time and came over to sit across from her at the table. "I wish to thank you for what you have done here today. You have proven to me that you can be trusted. We have much to discuss, but not tonight. You need rest and so do I."  
  
'Was it that obvious?' she thought to herself with a smile and a shake of her head. "I agree. But I would like to keep my people together tonight if you don't mind. The Doctor will return through the night to check on Menem if you approve."  
  
"Of course, I can appreciate your concern for your group. I will have something prepared." He had answered her, but so softly she could hardly hear him.  
  
"Thank you." she said. Janeway was amazed at the transformation in this man. Gone was the intimidating, suspicious barbarian, to be replaced by a thoughtful, concerned leader. She knew that his previous demeanor would be back, but she was basking in the behavior she was experiencing at the moment.  
  
She watched as he stood and walked to the door to give orders to several Veret standing outside. He then picked up her parka and offered it to her. "You will need this." he said just before he went to the back room to retrieve the doctor.  
  
When the EMH entered the main room, Janeway quizzed him to be sure he was comfortable leaving Menem in the care of the Veret for the time being. He agreed to go with her with the caveat that he would be able to return to check on his patient and that the Veret would come to get him should there be any significant change in Menem's condition. In the process they both put their Parkas on as suggested and waited for Jomar to make the next move.  
  
=/\=  
  
Several minutes later, Janeway stood in the center of a room she knew all too well, staring at the unusable shackles that were still lying on the floor near the cot. B'Elanna stepped up behind her under the pretense of helping her out of her parka. In reality B'Elanna had seen her gaze focus on the wall and could imagine what she was thinking. This was the very same cabin they had been in before, and the significance was not lost on either of them. Several extra cots and blankets had been brought in for them. The result was a little cramped, but not uncomfortably so. The two cots they had used before remained by the fire and the others had been lined up along the adjacent wall.  
  
Breaking her eyes away from the wall, she turned her head to look at B'Elanna. "You know, I really don't remember much about being chained up in here. But I do remember you being here to get me out, and even with your own injury, you were instrumental in my rescue. You did well B'Elanna, thank you." As the Captain slid her arms out of her parka, B'Elanna also noticed how slowly and carefully she did so.  
  
"All part of the service Captain, and my pleasure." she said, smiling at her commanding officer.  
  
At that moment the Doctor joined the two of them. "Captain, please sit down, I wish to examine you. He said as he pulled his tricorder from his belt.  
  
"But Doctor, I'm."  
  
She never got the word out. "Fine. Yes, I know. And it's getting a bit repetitious. Now sit! Lieutenant?"  
  
He was looking at B'Elanna in a more than obvious attempt to solicit her assistance. She was more than happy to oblige. Surprisingly, Janeway actually did as she was told. B'Elanna was pretty sure she was simply too tired to argue and preferred not to make a scene in front of the other members of her crew in the room. B'Elanna moved to her side swiftly and gave her a hand, which was gratefully accepted, as she lowered herself to sit on the cot with her back to the wall.  
  
The Doctor made a couple of quick passes with his tricorder and then looked at her intently, "Fine are you? Humph."  
  
Janeway barely contained her laughter, an involuntary response to the Doctor's rather pompous behavior. But she knew he was right. Quite honestly she felt lousy.  
  
"Lieutenant, can you assist the captain in removing her jacket and turtleneck please?" he said, never taking his eyes off his tricorder.  
  
"Now wait a minute Doctor, just what."  
  
He cut her off again. "Captain, you either follow Doctor's orders, or I'll have you relieved of command and out of here whether there's a break in the weather or not. I don't think you want me to insist do you?"  
  
He was right. He did have that prerogative. And she'd rather not fight him on it. She needed to finish this mission, a fact of which the Doctor was also well aware. Taking that into consideration, she complied with his request, and was actually thankful for B'Elanna's assistance. Here arm and shoulder muscles simply would not function as she would have liked.  
  
The activity had drawn the attention of the rest of the team. Ayala and the other security officers were standing near to or leaning on the opposite site of the table in the center of the room, trying not to make it too obvious that they were eavesdropping.  
  
The jacket came off with relative ease, but the thin turtleneck was a somewhat more uncomfortable experience. Moreover, once they were off, there was an audible gasp from her engineer followed by an exclamation by Mike Ayala, "My God Captain!"  
  
Janeway was by no means large, but she was in extremely good shape, and quite strong for her size. Removing her shirt had revealed heavy bruising of her lithely muscled biceps and right forearm, the result of being angrily grabbed and squeezed by incredibly strong hands several times. Having her weight suspended by her arms for a number of minutes didn't help. As she looked over her own injuries, she was surprised at how bad it looked, even to her. The Doctor already had a small regenerator out and was gently lifting her hand into his lap so he could treat her. Looking up briefly she became somewhat uncomfortable that she was now the object of intense scrutiny by the entire away team. "I'll be alright, Mister Ayala. Why don't the rest of you get some food and some rest?"  
  
Ayala was smart enough to recognize another unspoken order when he heard one. "Okay people, let's get settled in." He smiled at her before he turned to join the other three and she rewarded him with a slight smile and a nod. He then assigned all of them something to do, from stoking the fire, to setting up their sleeping area, and working out a plan for the night watch.  
  
B'Elanna had taken Janeway's clothing and folded it, placing it on the end of the nearby table. Returning to the Captain and the Doctor she sat on the opposite side of the cot from him, next to the Captain. "Doc?"  
  
"The Captain has simply overexerted herself given her prior condition. She a severe headache and is experiencing some muscle soreness, compliments of the more obvious injuries you see here and being jostled around more than is acceptable for the human body." he had said all this while he kept working on her bruised arms. Now he raised his eyes directly to Janeway's to emphasize what he was about to say. "You'll be fine, but I insist that you rest tonight. If I have to, I will enforce that order with a sedative."  
  
Kathryn Janeway sighed and looked at her junior officer hoping for some sympathy where this overbearing EMH was concerned, and knew immediately by the look on her face that she would get none. She chided herself for her behavior. One of these days she would really need to learn that when she allowed herself to push too hard, it really did have a residual effect on the people around her, and in this case, at least part of the evidence was extremely obvious. "Alright Doctor, you'll get no argument from me. It's been a long and exhausting day and I could use the sleep."  
  
"I'm glad you agree. Now just relax. I should have these bruises taken care of in no time."  
  
"Captain, is there anything I can get for you?" asked B'Elanna.  
  
"No thank you B'Elanna, although I would appreciate it if you would check on the security arrangements with Ayala and report back to me. Then we'll all get some sleep and we'll make further plans in the morning." replied Janeway as she inclined her head back to rest against the wall and closed her eyes. B'Elanna watched her relax and then moved off to join the rest of the group.  
  
The Doctor continued to work on healing her bruised arms for more than half an hour before he declared himself finished. When he looked up to let the Captain know, he discovered she had fallen asleep leaning against the wall while he worked. Reaching into his medical kit, he drew out a hypospray and gently pressed it to her neck, causing her to stir, but only slightly. She rolled her head to the side and went immediately back into a deep sleep.  
  
B'Elanna was now returning to give the Captain the requested report, and noticing Janeway sound asleep, looked inquiringly at the Doctor.  
  
"Lieutenant, please assist me, time to tuck the Captain in for the night." At B'Elanna's puzzled look, he continued, "And in case you're wondering, I gave her a strong analgesic for her discomfort and a little something to help her get a good night's sleep. She'll likely be less than pleased with me in the morning, but I'll live with the consequences. By the way, how are you doing, any trouble with your leg."  
  
"The leg's fine Doctor, thanks to you. Of course we haven't been doing much this trip except sitting around waiting just in case we were needed."  
  
The Doctor nodded. "You will let me know if it gives you any trouble?" It was an order as much as a question.  
  
She smiled and nodded, actually flattered that she was getting a little of the same outwardly smug but exceedingly compassionate attitude that he exhibited with the Captain. "I'll be happy to help with the Captain." she said. All necessity for the providing a report now gone, she crossed the remaining distance to the cot, and between the two of them, they managed to get her repositioned so she was lying on her side without waking her, and then pulled a blanket over her, leaving her to her dreams.  
  
=/\=  
  
It was getting very late, or more accurately it was extremely early back on Voyager. Seven, Chakotay, Tuvok and Tom Paris were all in astrometrics studying the display on the viewscreen and the readouts on the consoles in front of them. "By my calculations, there will be another break in the surface storms starting at approximately 0745 and ending approximately four hours later at 1220." said Seven of Nine with annoying precision.  
  
"Good, that confirms that we should hear from the Captain around 0800 without a problem." Chakotay was relieved that their earlier calculations were indeed accurate. He would have hated to be out of touch any longer than necessary. He just hoped the conditions wouldn't change on them at a moment's notice as they had in the past. "Tuvok, I want you with Tom when he takes off in the morning, just in case."  
  
"Understood Commander. When you spoke with the Captain earlier did she give you any indication of her progress with the Veret?"  
  
"Her tone was somewhat guarded when we spoke. I don't think she was intentionally trying to hide anything, but a do feel she was choosing her words carefully. I think she's fully aware of our concern and didn't want to reveal anything that would give us cause to end the mission without her consent. However, she did say she was making progress with Jomar and that the Doctor was treating a severely wounded Veret. She was hoping that by showing them kindness she would earn some level of trust."  
  
"I wise decision. I hope she is successful."  
  
Chakotay rubbed his forehead briefly and then replied. "So do I Tuvok, so do I."  
  
TBC 


	11. Part 11

At Face Value - Part 11  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and Torres leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 11  
  
She felt a brief draft of extremely cold air strike her exposed arms and rolled over, pulling the blanket back up to her neck. But she opened her eyes to see if she could determine what had caused the draft. When she was able to focus, she could see the Doctor closing the door to the cabin behind him. One of the ensign's in the security team acknowledging him from where he was standing watch near the door. He must be returning from checking in on Menem. She sat up slowly, feeling surprisingly pain free and well rested. Looking around the cabin she could see the rest of the team was still sleeping. "Doctor." she whispered.  
  
His holographic hearing picked up her calling his name with no trouble and he responded by walking over to her and taking a seat beside her on the cot.  
  
"Report." she requested softly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  
  
"As you probably realized I have just been checking on my Veret patient. He is recovering nicely and will be up and around in no time." He said, sounding extremely pleased with himself. At the same time, he was pulling out his tricorder and opening it to examine the Captain.  
  
Curious, she asked, "Doctor, what are you up too?"  
  
Raising an eyebrow at her he responded "Checking on my human patient. You know, the one who generally ignores my advice."  
  
She scowled at him "Very funny."  
  
"How are you feeling?" he inquired as he folded his tricorder and pulled out a hypospray.  
  
"Quite good actually."  
  
He moved his arm to press the hypo to her neck but she grabbed his wrist to stop him. "Doctor." Her tone was somewhat threatening and made it obvious what she wanted to know.  
  
"No need to get testy Captain, this is a little concoction especially for you, a stimulant and an analgesic. Let's just call it the Janeway special."  
  
She smirked, "I see you've been spending time on the holodeck with Tom Paris again." Pointing at his tricorder she continued, "Well, what's the verdict?"  
  
"Some medication and a few hours sleep seem to have done you a world of good Captain."  
  
"Doctor, I thank you for your skill and kindness." She stood and reached for her turtleneck and jacket, slipping them on quietly, and then taking a seat at the table. Checking the chronometer on a tricorder, she discovered it was 0440, roughly three hours before she would need to check in with Voyager. She needed to speak to B'Elanna and Ayala, and then with Jomar again. After that, they would hopefully be able to return to the ship. But for the moment there was time. She would let her people sleep a little longer while she went over everything in her own mind.  
  
Moments later the Doctor joined her at the table after he had put away the rest of his medical gear. Shortly after that, B'Elanna also joined them, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table and acknowledging each of them in turn, "Captain, Doctor, everything alright?"  
  
"Good morning." replied Janeway. "I'm sorry if we woke you."  
  
B'Elanna shook her head, "You didn't. I wasn't sleeping anyway. It was getting to be my turn on watch. So. what's next?"  
  
"I've been giving that a good deal of thought. I have two primary goals. First I need to convince Jomar to trade with us so that we have an excuse to return. I'm hoping that he will feel somewhat obligated after what the Doctor did for Menem. These Veret may be fairly primitive by our standards, but their honor seems to be very important to them. I think Jomar will be willing to repay us in some way."  
  
She paused for only a few seconds, but the Doctor was curious and couldn't wait. "And the second goal?"  
  
She looked directly at him with an extremely serious expression. "Is to get every last one of us out of here. I could be very wrong in how I'm reading Jomar and this situation. There are no guarantees in first contact. Sometimes it's easy to be lulled into a false sense of security and make assumptions based on previous experience. Often there is a completely different set of rules in play than can possibly be anticipated. The best you can do is roll with the punches. I need to tread lightly here. I'm pretty sure I can convince him to discuss trade, but I'm not completely sure he'll let all of us leave. He may want someone to stay behind as a sort of insurance policy if he feels in any way threatened by us. That said, unless something unexpected happens, the plan is this, once I've discussed trade, we get Tom to pick us up and regroup on Voyager with what we've learned. It's the prudent thing to do... and I'm sure the only option a certain first officer will accept."  
  
There were smiles all around as the three of them recognized her statement as somewhat lighthearted, but also containing more than a hint of truth.  
  
=/\=  
  
By 0700 hours, all of the members of the away team were awake and ready for whatever the day would bring. Ayala had risen shortly after the Captain and B'Elanna and the three of them had discussed options for how to proceed to support Janeway's plan. They would need to be calling in soon as well, and she wanted to be ready with some real information.  
  
Shortly after their conversation came to an end, the guard they had posted at the door alerted them to a group of approaching Veret. The team members instinctively took defensive positions around the room with B'Elanna and Ayala flanking their captain. They made a visually odd looking personal guard, but no one would ever question the capability of the pair for the job. There were no more fierce warriors on the ship.  
  
Seconds later, the door was flung open to reveal the woman who had served them the last time they were held here along with two others, their arms laden with food and drink. They entered, resting everything down on the table, and exited as quickly, without saying a word.  
  
Before anyone could take advantage of the gift however, a large Veret guard entered and stood just inside the door, filling the opening. "Jomar wishes to see you." he bellowed, looking straight at Janeway.  
  
The Captain had anticipated this and her team was prepared. "Very well, but I will bring the Doctor and one other with me." As she finished speaking, Ayala stepped forward to stand directly beside her. This was a test, to see if she had gained any ground with Jomar. If he felt threatened in any way, he would have given specific instructions for her to come alone.  
  
The guard moved forward and looked down at her and then turned to look almost eye to eye with Ayala. "Very well. You will follow me."  
  
The Captain and B'Elanna made brief eye contact as the two officers and the EMH grabbed their parkas for the trip through the elements. "You know what to do."  
  
"Aye Captain. Everything is under control. See you soon."  
  
=/\=  
  
At the same time that the guard was leading the three Voyager team members through the snow to the main lodge, Tuvok and Tom Paris were exiting the shuttle bay in the Delta Flyer. The weather window now appeared to be opening sooner then they had anticipated the night before and they were getting an early start. They had determined it was in their best interests to assess the situation on the planet and establish a transporter lock and intercept comm badge signals prior to making official contact. That way they would not take the chance of unnecessarily compromising the mission.  
  
As they plunged through open space into the planet's atmosphere, they were buffeted by blowing snow and high winds until they approached the area directly over the Veret settlement. As predicted, there was a significant break in the weather, one which actually made their mission somewhat more difficult. The weather had in fact turned out to be so good it was hard to find a place to hide.  
  
In order to address that particular problem, Tom chose to stay down range of the settlement and in a direct line with the rising sun, thus making them very difficult to spot and allowing them to stay close enough to work the transporter and communications signals effectively.  
  
"Ok Tuvok, we're in position." Tom reported.  
  
Tuvok's hands maneuvered over the controls on the communications console with practiced skill. Only seconds after Paris' remark, a faint static could be heard over the channel which almost immediately faded to the sound of Kathryn Janeway in discussion with the Veret leader Jomar as Tuvok patched the signal through to Voyager and over the speaker system in the Flyer at the same time. "Tuvok to Voyager." he said, tapping his comm badge.  
  
"Go ahead Tuvok." Chakotay's reply was short and crisp, as if he were impatient.  
  
"I have re-established the communications link to the Captain. She appears to be in negotiations with Jomar. We are also picking up comm badge signals from Lieutenant Ayala and the Doctor in the same vicinity."  
  
"Thank you Tuvok. From the sound of it, B'Elanna is not with the Captain, try and contact her over a separate signal and relay it to me here on Voyager."  
  
"Aye Sir."  
  
=/\=  
  
Moments later, B'Elanna felt a slight vibration in her comm badge. It was the predetermined signal for her to acknowledge if she was in a situation where she could communicate openly. "Torres here." she said softly. Even though there were no Veret in the room, there were at least two still standing guard outside the door, better to make it sound as though they were having a routine conversation. When Chakotay replied, B'Elanna was more than a little astounded at the clarity of the signal.  
  
"Report Lieutenant." While Chakotay was more than thrilled that all still seemed to be going according to plan, this was not the time for sentimentality. Both he and B'Elanna were all business as she relayed the Captain's plan to him and he communicated an update on the weather window and the status of the support they could expect.  
  
=/\=  
  
Seated in the main room of Jomar's lodge, Janeway felt a familiar vibration in her comm badge as well. Turning to capture Ayala out of the corner of her eye, he nodded that he had felt the same. Now they were aware they were being monitored from the Flyer. Janeway noted the time, 0800 hrs on the dot. Nice to know things in this quadrant could still go their way from time to time.  
  
Returning her attention fully to Jomar she caught the last part of his sentence, and obviously the most meaningful, at least to her. "...you and those with you have proven yourselves honorable Janeway. You are also a woman of great courage. You returned here even after what happened to you. However you came to be here, I do not believe you came here to deceive or harm us. I would be willing to trade with you."  
  
"Thank you Jomar. I was hoping you would find my offer worthy of consideration. With your agreement, I think we should take some time now to determine what we can offer each other. My group and I have been here for some time and I'm sure the others traveling with us will become concerned for our safety if we do not return to them soon. As a measure of good faith, I will leave our Doctor here with you until our return. He will be able to continue treating your friend and may also be able to examine and treat other Veret that need assistance."  
  
Captain Janeway knew Jomar would more than likely not be willing to let all of them leave with no guarantee of their return. And as much as he said he trusted them, they had admittedly been in contact with his enemy. How could he be sure they would not simply run back to the Hakonene? Offering to leave the EMH was a low risk and logical alternative that she thought Jomar would accept. And she was right.  
  
Of course it was also an option that she had discussed with the EMH ahead of time. She would never have offered something like that without his knowledge and consent.  
  
After rising from his seat near the fire and pacing back and forth several times, Jomar turned toward her. "Agreed."  
  
Janeway and her companions rose from their seats slowly. "Thank you Jomar. I hope this is the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship. I will leave you now and return soon. The Doctor will take good care of Menem. Please take good care of him until I return. He is a highly valued member of our group and he is a friend.  
  
"He will be treated well Janeway. You have my word."  
  
With that, Janeway and Ayala turned and headed toward the door with the Captain stopping only momentarily to speak to the Doctor. "We'll be back soon." and then she continued under her breath, "We'll be monitoring you as constantly as the weather will allow Doctor." and then louder again, "You take care of yourself."  
  
"Yes Ma'am." He replied crisply as she and the Lieutenant headed out the door.  
  
=/\=  
  
It was 0930 hours and the shuttle bay doors were clanging shut when Chakotay entered to meet the away team upon their arrival back on Voyager. Tom had set the Delta Flyer on the deck with practiced precision and the hatch opened and spilled out Ayala and the rest of his security detail, followed by Tom and B'Elanna, and finally Tuvok, accompanying the Captain.  
  
The members of the team dropped their heavy, and no longer necessary, parkas from her shoulders and draped them over their arms as they approached.  
  
"Welcome back." said Chakotay when the officers came to a stop beside them.  
  
Janeway spoke first in response. "It's good to be back."  
  
"I take it negotiations went well?" Chakotay inquired. While he knew much of what had gone on down on the planet, there were a number of details missing and he was anxious to hear more. But no more anxious than his captain was to hear the details of what had transpired with the Hakonene while she was gone.  
  
"As well as can be expected I think." she responded. Then turning to Ayala and B'Elanna she continued. "I'll expect reports from the two of you within the hour. And I want your impressions on this one as well as the facts. Any insight you have could prove highly useful."  
  
"Yes Ma'am." they replied, almost in unison.  
  
"Tom, secure the Flyer and make sure it's ready for another trip in the near future. I have a feeling we'll be on our way back before too long."  
  
"Consider it done." Tom was still wound up from being safely reunited with B'Elanna and the rest of the team. After a restless night, having them all back safe and sound on the relatively firm deck plates of Voyager, he was one of the few members of the team who wasn't exhibiting signs of being overtired.  
  
Janeway shook her head and graced him with a crooked but sincere smile. "Ok you three, good work. We'll meet in the briefing room at 1300 hours to go over everything and plan our next move. Dismissed."  
  
As the three junior officers turned to go about their assigned duties, Chakotay caught B'Elanna's eye. As she passed, she winked at him and gave him a brief but meaningful pat on the arm. It was a clear indication that he need not worry about the Captain's condition.  
  
He and Tuvok remained, knowing that the dismissal had not included them. "Well gentlemen, I'm sure we have a lot to discuss. Let's say 1100 hours in my ready room. I'll have the reports from the away team by then and we can bring each other up to speed on what we missed."  
  
Tuvok was somewhat surprised that she wasn't jumping right into the thick of things immediately upon her return. He had anticipated a whirlwind of activity as soon as she was back inside the bulkheads of her ship. But he kept his curiosity to himself.  
  
"Tuvok, I know there's not much chance of success, but given the current break in the weather, I'd like you and Seven to scan the surface for a ship. The Hakonene got here somehow and I'm willing to bet that there's a ship of some kind, or at least the remains of one, somewhere in the general vicinity of the caverns. See what you can come up with while the weather holds out. And keep in mind that it's likely buried in snow and ice. It would have landed here over two generations ago. Given what the Veret told me, I'd say that's easily about fifty years."  
  
"The chances of our success are minimal. It has been almost impossible to obtain any meaningful data on the planet since our arrival."  
  
"Understood Tuvok, but give it a try anyway. Scan for large concentrations of alloys of the type found in starship construction. Focus on those common in the Delta Quadrant. We also have our initial scans of the Hakonene patrol ship. It's a safe bet that whatever was used in its construction is what we're looking for. It's wishful thinking, but there might even be residual energy signatures from their power core, even after all this time."  
  
"Aye Captain, given the limited window of opportunity, Seven and I should begin as soon as possible, with your permission?" he said with a slight nod of his head.  
  
"Dismissed."  
  
With that, Tuvok turned and left the shuttle bay and Chakotay and the Captain were now alone.  
  
Chakotay reached over and took her parka from her.  
  
"Thanks. Care to escort me to my quarters? I am in desperate need of a very stiff cup of coffee and a change of clothes." she said as she began to move toward the doors to the corridor.  
  
"With pleasure." he replied. As they entered the turbolift and she leaned heavily against the wall, his curiosity got the better of him. "You okay, you look a little tired."  
  
Janeway had actually been counting the minutes until he would ask that particular question. Looking up to capture his thoughtful eyes with hers she answered him. "All things considered, pretty good. It was a good idea to take the Doctor along. In more ways than one. He was extremely helpful in establishing a level of trust with Jomar, and of course in looking after me."  
  
"I heard about your little encounter, did he hurt you?"  
  
"Just a few bruises. He's not a cruel man, just under a lot of pressure and very confused," she smiled, "and very strong." The last part said as she rubbed her forearm in remembrance of his formidable grip. "The Veret are much larger and muscular that the Hakonene, and most of us for that matter." Now she laughed. "I'm sure I appear somewhat less than imposing to him. I'm surprised he's taken me as seriously as he has."  
  
"Don't sell yourself short Kathryn..." they both looked at each other and chortled happily at the unintended pun. After regaining his composure, Chakotay continued, "What I meant to say is that there is more to strength than physical size, although I have to admit, sometimes it helps."  
  
They both smiled warmly at each other again, remembering countless times where he had used his not inconsiderable size to an advantage and where she had found other ways around situations due to her lack of it, the proverbial brains vs. brawn arguments springing to mind. The reality was that both of them were in excellent physical condition and were more than a match for most in intellect as well. By human standards, there was little more that could be desired in the command team of a starship.  
  
The turbolift door opened with its customary hiss and the two officers continued into the corridor and around the corner to her quarters. She entered the code sequence into the keypad and was rewarded by the equally recognizable and welcome hiss of her own door. "Care to join me Commander? You can replicate us some coffee and breakfast while I get cleaned up. That is unless you've already had something to eat."  
  
He hadn't. And he was well aware that she probably knew going in that he had not taken the time to eat, or even rest adequately either for that matter. It was not uncommon for both of them to forego meals and sleep when there was important business at hand. "I'd love to." he said as she made her way to her bedroom, shedding her jacket from her shoulders as she went. "Anything in particular you'd like? Besides the obvious black coffee I mean."  
  
"No, surprise me." she said loudly as the sound of the sonic shower emanated from the more private area of her quarters.  
  
Chakotay laughed to himself and headed for the replicator. When his commanding officer reappeared in the main living area dressed in a clean uniform sans jacket, she found him at the table, mug in hand, a steaming cup and a full breakfast awaiting her.  
  
"Feel better?" he asked as he rose to get her chair for her.  
  
"Immensely." was her short and truly honest response as she made herself comfortable and lifted her mug to her lips. "Of course I would have preferred a long soak in the tub, but I'm afraid that will have to wait for a while."  
  
Chakotay set down his cup and lifted a fork to the fruit on his plate. "So, it appears things went well down there, at least as well as could be expected. You believe Jomar trusts you?"  
  
"I think so. He's still guarded about everything, but we arrived at what appeared to be a very vulnerable time for him. It's not something I would have planned, but it certainly worked to our advantage. We were able to give him aid at a time he most definitely needed it.  
  
She took a long slow sip of her coffee while Chakotay ate. He knew she had more to say before finishing this train of thought so he waited for her to get there on her own.  
  
Finally laying her cup aside and beginning to push the food on her own plate around with her fork, she continued. "I truly felt for him Chakotay. Seeing him like that reminded me of too many periods in my own life. Particularly some I've experienced here. The burdens of command, coupled with the emotional upheaval of the people you care about being harmed or killed, and feeling as though you have to carry it alone, it seemed all to familiar."  
  
"It sounds as though you made quite connection with him."  
  
"I think so." she replied quietly, studying her mug, momentarily absorbed by how much she related to Jomar and his situation. Finally shaking herself from her reverie she asked, "So, how'd things go with the Ambassador?"  
  
"Pretty much as you expected they would. The Ambassador looked as though he was going to have a heart attack at the very mention of your establishing a relationship with the Veret. I know we'll be getting into this in more detail with Tuvok and the others shortly, but you might as well know now. The Ambassador's list of trade requests included spare parts as well as assistance in repairing their perimeter defenses, shield grids, weapons, etc. I find that rather interesting, don't you?"  
  
Kathryn Janeway looked at him, her eyes wide, and a forkful of vegetable omelet resting just inside her mouth. "Very interesting." she said as she removed the fork and held it in the air for a few seconds, deep in thought, and then gobbled it down with renewed vigor. "Thank you Chakotay, you may just have found one of the most important missing pieces of this puzzle. Now if Seven and Tuvok can come up with something, we just might be able to pull this off."  
  
Chakotay grinned from ear to ear as the two officers finished their meal in companionable silence. She had latched onto the significance of his information as fast as he had and he could see the sparkle in her eyes as she began concocting the remainder of her plan to assist the Veret. He had no doubt it would be a busy day.  
  
TBC 


	12. Part 12

At Face Value - Part 12  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 12  
  
1330 hours found Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, Tom Paris, B'Elanna Torres, Harry Kim and Mike Ayala in the briefing room. They'd just spent the last half hour going over their impressions of both the Hakonene and the Veret, and in particular, reviewing the details of their visit to the Veret settlement.  
  
Of particular interest to Chakotay were the reports of the Veret that were provided by Torres and Ayala. Both identified that the Veret did not seem vicious or barbaric in any way. They were in fact a relatively primitive, but amazingly hospitable people, considering what they had apparently been through. B'Elanna also observed that they followed Jomar without question, and every last one of them, including their women, looked as if they could snap a small human in half on a whim.  
  
Chakotay noticed the Captain roll her eyes at B'Elanna's comments, but took it as significant that she didn't contradict her junior officers' assessment.  
  
B'Elanna went on, "With all due respect Captain, you have obviously spent more time with Jomar than the rest of us, and I would not in any way presume to know him as well as you do, but he seems to possess an extremely volatile temper, and he is by far the biggest and the strongest of the Veret we came in direct contact with. While it seems safe enough to continue to deal with them, I would still recommend we take all appropriate precautions when in their company."  
  
Janeway took in B'Elanna's words. When the opportunity presented itself, she added to what the Lieutenant had said. "B'Elanna's right. While I think I have earned Jomar's trust, at least as much as he is able to trust any stranger, he is at the very least unpredictable, and his people do follow him without question. That makes them somewhat unpredictable as well." She hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with the Lieutenant across the table from her. She knew what the younger woman was up to. She was making certain that everyone was either informed or reminded of exactly what they were up against.  
  
From across the table, B'Elanna caught the Captain's gaze, and for a few seconds was concerned that Janeway was not pleased with her report. She needn't have worried though, for only a few seconds later, a smile that reached Janeway's eyes, and which was clearly directed at B'Elanna, painted itself across her face.  
  
The Captain continued, "By comparison, the Hakonene appear to be sincere and cooperative, and no threat to us in any way, other than the conflict they are embroiled in. In my book that makes them potentially more dangerous than the Veret. I don't trust them. In a nutshell, I think the Veret we can take at face value. With them we know to expect the unexpected. With the Hakonene, we could be surprised if we're not careful."  
  
Chakotay was pleased. He'd been thinking the same thing for the last few minutes as well. All the information provided had led him to the very same conclusion. At least this wouldn't be one of those times that he'd have to convince her to pay attention to his intuition. "I agree Captain, seems we need to be on our guard with all of them."  
  
She lifted her hands from the table and passed behind him, quickly resting a hand on his shoulder as he finished speaking, and then crossing her arms over the back of his chair. "So, that being said, good job people. Thank you for your detailed and enlightening reports. Now let's get down to making use of the information we have. We need to put together an approach for where we go from here." Her eyes traveled around the table and captured everyone individually for a second or two until she finally fixed her gaze on the back of Chakotay's head. "One we can all be comfortable with."  
  
He could feel her eyes on him and it sent a shiver down the back of his neck. He turned and faced her, locking his eyes on hers.  
  
The conversation then began to take on a life of it's own as everyone began to postulate about what their next course of action should be. Chakotay was pleased she was giving such consideration to everyone's opinion, but he was also smart enough to remain cautious. It was just like her to listen carefully to whatever information and insight could be provided by the other members of her staff, mull it over for a while, and leverage it along with her own knowledge and instincts to come up with a plan all her own. He'd have to stay on his toes and watch for any signs that she was keeping something to herself as this meeting went on.  
  
As if to confirm his theory, she moved away from his chair and began to pace back in forth in front of the viewport, wrapping her left arm around her body and supporting the right, then clamping the hand of the right to her chin.  
  
To anyone who didn't know her, the Captain would appear to not be paying the least bit of attention to the discussion in the room. In reality, she was hearing, cataloging and analyzing every word being spoken, and processing it all at lightning speed. Her scientist brain gave her an advantage over most captains, for that matter, in Chakotay's experience it gave her an advantage over most every other living, breathing being he could think of.  
  
If, however, she stopped pacing and began to look out the viewport, that was not a good sign. That generally meant she was concocting something she did not intend to divulge, or she was preoccupied with something other than the matter at hand. That usually only happened when she was being assailed by bouts of uncertainty or self doubt. When that happened, she became introspective, sometimes to the point of brooding. It was something else he had learned to read about her over the years.  
  
In this case, he was pretty sure she wouldn't be stopping as he knew she was most definitely focused on the matter at hand. Looking back toward the table and the rest of the group, he realized the conversation had come to a stop, and as if on cue, Janeway slowed her pace, stopped completely beside the chair she generally occupied during meetings here, leaned forward and placed her hands on the table, looking at the group.  
  
"Alright people, we have a lot of information on the table and some solid possible options, here's the plan."  
  
And as Janeway verbalized the results of the mental data processing she had been doing for the last several minutes, Chakotay couldn't keep the grin from his face.  
  
=/\=  
  
Over an hour later, there was no one left in the briefing room other than Janeway and Chakotay. The others had been dismissed to their respective duties in order to work out further details of the plan they had discussed.  
  
As the two sat quietly talking, the Captain's comm badge chirped. "Bridge to Captain Janeway."  
  
It was Harry at the ops station. "We're receiving a transmission from the Ambassador. He wishes to speak with you."  
  
"Thank you Harry. We'll take it here in the briefing room."  
  
Only seconds later, the display screen in the computer terminal in the wall flickered on to reveal the images of the Hakonene Ambassador, and two other officials that Janeway recognized from some of their earlier meetings. For several minutes they discussed her visit to the Veret and the future of their trade negotiations pleasantly enough. Unfortunately, The Ambassador could maintain his composure only so long and slowly transitioned to loudly expressing his displeasure at Janeway's visit to the settlement.  
  
"How could you possibly wish to be involved with them after what they did to you and your lieutenant? I don't understand you Captain. I don't understand you at all." the Ambassador said angrily.  
  
Janeway chuckled and Chakotay tried for all he was worth to hide the smirk he felt rising in his cheeks, "Well, you're certainly not the first, and I have to admit that sometimes I don't understand myself as well as I'd like to either Ambassador, but of one thing I am certain, the information you provided me concerning the Veret and their relationship to your people is somewhat suspect given what I have learned on my own by spending time with them. They did not mean to harm Lieutenant Torres any more than they intended to harm me. It simply happened as a result of guilt by association, a fact I now believe understandable under the circumstances. The entire situation could have been prevented if you had been honest with us about the Veret and your conflict with them from the beginning."  
  
"What lies have they been telling you Captain? Or have you simply been overwhelmed by feelings of sympathy for those barbarians?"  
  
Janeway rose from her seat, pressing her advantage. She had the Ambassador right where she wanted him. Their conversation had only been in progress for a few minutes and he now sounded desperate and angry. His emotions were getting the best of him, putting her squarely in the position she wanted to be in.  
  
"Believe what you like Ambassador, but unless we get some straight answers, and soon, our trading mission here is at an end. I'll give you another two hours to consider what we have discussed and..."  
  
"Wait." The Ambassador said, holding up a hand, his voice much calmer than it had been before, almost sounding defeated. He sat heavily in his chair and rested his hands on the table. "There may be something to what the Veret have told you."  
  
The Captain and the Commander exchanged a knowing glance.  
  
One of the other officials, who Janeway recognized as the Minister of Security, jumped up from the table and exclaimed, "Lukar, no..."  
  
But the Ambassador continued anyway, temporarily quieting his companion with a wave of his hand. "We have come to believe that the stories we have been told by our ancestors concerning the Veret and how we came to be here are... well... somewhat less than accurate."  
  
Janeway's hands rose to her hips. "Go on."  
  
He took a long slow breath, before continuing. "It seems the Veret have extremely long life spans, much longer than ours, in fact, almost twice as long. Some of the Veret that have been captured during these raids have provided information in direct conflict with what we consider to be our documented history. They have also provided this information in great detail, as if they had been there. It has led some of us to believe that there may be some discrepancies in the accounts that have passed down from generation to generation. We do not know what it means yet, but we have determined to investigate further. There are many things we need to understand better that may explain why the Veret are so determined to fight us. Since you seem to know something of their story, maybe you could help us to understand more."  
  
Chakotay could tell by his captain's body language that she was very pleased with this line of conversation. She was getting exactly what she was after, detailed information and an opportunity at the same time. Things rarely went this smoothly, he wondered exactly when they would be reminded how unpredictable something as complicated as what they were attempting could be.  
  
As for Janeway, she was carefully observing the body language of the others in the room with the Ambassador. There was something remotely disconcerting about their demeanor, but she determined to keep it to herself for the moment until things progressed enough that she could better understand what it meant.  
  
Her attention was drawn back to the Ambassador at the mention of her name. "Captain Janeway, would you be willing to meet us here in the caverns? I think this would be best discussed in person."  
  
Chakotay was immediately on edge, the thought of her being down on the planet again so soon, and in an area that was under periodic attack, making him more than a little uneasy. But within seconds he heard the words he knew he would, and began to work his mind around what would be needed to keep her safe.  
  
"Very well Ambassador, but there will be no diversions this time. I want specific coordinates directly to the main entrance to the caverns. I'll not take the risk of traveling in the open for an indeterminate period. I will also be bringing two security officers with me and they and I will be armed. You must show trust in me if I am to begin to trust you. Those are my terms. Do you accept them?"  
  
Against the muffled protests of the others with him, the Ambassador responded, "I agree. I will have the coordinates transmitted to you shortly."  
  
"We will meet in one hour. Janeway out." Moving swiftly to the console, she terminated the transmission before anyone on the planet, or in the briefing room, could change their minds. Turning slowly toward the center of the room, she came face to face with her first officer.  
  
"Nice job Kathryn, of course you've managed to toss all the safety protocols regarding captains and away missions right out an airlock again, but I should be used to that after all these years." She opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her before the words managed to get past her tongue. "I think it best that we take you down there in the Flyer and beam you directly to the entrance from close range. You will take Ayala and Tuvok with you as your security team, and there will be another four man detachment in the Flyer with Tom. Should anything go wrong, they can be deployed at a moment's notice to get all of you out of there."  
  
There was a long pause while she considered how to respond. This was the second time today that one of her officers had come dangerously close to insubordination. B'Elanna's statement had been relatively harmless, but it was said in front of other officers. Given the circumstances, and the tenuous progress they were experiencing in their relationship, she had decided to let it pass. This situation was a little different. While this conversation was only between the two of them, he was definitely taking a strong stand. She had a decision to make again on whether or not to chastise him for his approach, or let it pass as part of his job as her first officer, knowing full well that part of his reaction was also because of his concern for her as a friend. Fundamentally, what he had suggested still allowed her to follow through on her plan, but it provided appropriate security precautions given the circumstances. Swallowing hard, she decided to let it go this time. "Thank you Chakotay. And believe me, it will be a short visit. We still have the Doctor down there with Jomar, and the more I keep the Ambassador on his toes, the better our chances of success, but I couldn't pass up this opportunity. It may lead us to what we need to make all this work."  
  
He smiled. "I understand. I recognized the same things you did in what the Ambassador had to say. Let's keep this mission to a strict time limit. That way there will be no chance for misunderstanding. When you get down there, tell the Ambassador that you will have one hour, at which time I will expect a direct transmission from you through their normal communication channels. If I do not receive it, or confirmation from you that you are all back on the Flyer, we'll be coming in after you."  
  
Janeway agreed with his approach, but before she managed to say so, she was hailed. "Seven of Nine to the Captain."  
  
Tapping her comm badge, Janeway responded, "Yes Seven, go ahead."  
  
"Can you and the Commander please report to the astrometrics lab? I think I may have found something of interest."  
  
The two commanding officers looked at each other knowing full well what Seven had most likely found. "We're on our way." She closed the transmission and she and Chakotay made their way toward astrometrics together.  
  
=/\=  
  
Along the way to meet with Seven, the Captain contacted Tuvok, giving him the details of what they were about to do and putting him in charge of making all the necessary arrangements with Tom and the security team. She could hear the controlled satisfaction in his voice when he realized he would be accompanying her this time. Her chief of security never liked her going on a mission without him personally escorting her. This time he would get the chance.  
  
Upon entering the astrometrics lab, Chakotay and the Captain found Seven at the console before the immense viewscreen, working intently. The image that filled the screen was a three dimensional representation of something that appeared to have the rough outline of a ship, but was made up of a cloud of closely clustered points in coordinate space rather than a smooth rendered image. In places, there were large sections completely missing from the image, and in others, it was a jumble of random images almost appearing flat.  
  
Seven heard them enter and looked briefly over her shoulder at them before turning back to her work. "I believe I have found the Hakonene vessel Captain.  
  
Janeway couldn't believe her luck, first with the Ambassador and now Seven's breakthrough. "Report."  
  
Seven wasted no time. "As you can see, the image is somewhat less than clear. Obviously this is largely due to the same factors which have hindered our communications and transporters since our arrival. However, I also believe it is in large part due to the degradation of the vessel itself over time." She moved her hands over the control panel to rotate the image to various angles explaining as she went the areas that had very obviously collapsed. This accounted for the inconsistencies in the image as Janeway had first seen it when she entered the lab.  
  
Seven continued, obviously enamored with the sound of her own voice as she shared what she had discovered. "The remains of the vessel are buried under as much as twenty meters of accumulated snow and ice, the weight of which has caused many sections of the vessel to collapse. I re-examined the scans from our original encounter with the patrol ship. The alloys used in its construction gave me clues as to what to look for on the surface. This image is the result of a scan specifically tuned to search for only the primary elements used in the patrol ship's construction."  
  
Janeway stepped out away from the others and climbed the short staircase to stand directly in front of the image and above Seven and Chakotay as Seven went on with her report. "It is an interesting design. The outer hull of both ships is sufficiently strong to withstand the vacuum of space evenly spread against the entire surface area. However, the internal superstructure is made of another alloy that can not sustain the stresses of an uneven weight distribution. The hull integrity of the ship on the surface was apparently compromised after it was eventually covered by the uneven weight of the snow as it fell and drifted. I find no evidence that the ship crash landed, although it is entirely possible that there was a system failure of some kind that brought it down. It is equally plausible that it was simply landed in this location and abandoned."  
  
"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Janeway queried.  
  
"Nothing of great importance, other than there is a barely detectable radioactive signature from the ship's engines and I was able to run a particle decay analysis. I believe the ship to have been in its present location for approximately one hundred years."  
  
With that Janeway turned back to Chakotay and Seven and looked directly at him. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  
  
He turned and climbed the stairs to join her, took one last look at the image and then turned to face her. "It seems that we will have more than one away team on the surface within the hour."  
  
"Have I told you lately how much I appreciate having such a brilliant and clever first officer?"  
  
"As a matter of fact no, but I've learned to be satisfied by simply knowing that you know." he said, with a small but distinctive attempt at a pout, the dimples getting in the way of his success.  
  
She punched him playfully in the arm, even though she knew she deserved his making fun of her. "Well then, I'd say we both have work to do. Let's get to it." Turning toward Seven she asked, "Up to an away mission to check out that ship Seven?"  
  
"Yes Captain." she said simply.  
  
"Contact B'Elanna and select another engineer and a science officer to go with you and bring them up to speed on the information you've collected. Meet me in the shuttle bay in thirty minutes outfitted for an away mission on that location."  
  
"Yes Captain." she said again.  
  
Janeway shook her head. A minute ago they wouldn't have been able to shut Seven up if they tried. Now she was happily entrenched in an unnerving economy of vocabulary. 'Ah, life with a Borg.' she thought. "Then let's get to it." she said, heading for the door, both Chakotay and Seven following closely behind.  
  
=/\=  
  
The surface of the snow was unpredictable, solid in some places, and incredibly soft in others. B'Elanna was getting tired of taking a few steps, breaking through the crust up to her waist, and then scrambling out of the hole her body had made. They were looking for a way to get to the buried ship without having to do a major amount of tunneling to do so. Time was not in their favor and she hoped they would find something soon.  
  
Luckily for them, one of the others seemed to have found something promising. "Over here B'Elanna!" crewman Jenkins shouted over the howl of the wind. "I think we're in luck!"  
  
Sure enough, when Seven, B'Elanna and Vorik had plodded over to the spot, they found her digging through the snow in a specific area. Seven, who hadn't moved an inch without her tricorder running since arriving on the surface, confirmed an irregularity that looked much like some type of tunnel.  
  
After several minutes of digging by melting snow with their phasers on a low setting, they found themselves at the entrance of an ice cave, obviously made by hand, heading downward at approximately a thirty degree angle, the floor of which had been strewn with dirt and small pebbles to improve the ability to walk on the otherwise smooth and slippery surface.  
  
B'Elanna looked at Seven. She nodded and B'Elanna took the lead. "Let's go." she said, all of them curious about what they would find as they began their descent.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Thank you Ambassador." The Captain said as he held the door to the office open for her and the rest of her party.  
  
Janeway, Ayala and Tuvok had entered the caverns immediately after being dropped no more that fifty meters from the main entrance, and while she and her officers had been here many times before in the early days of their trade negotiations with the Hakonene, they were now the objects of intense scrutiny as they walked the cobbled pathway to the main administration building that housed the Ambassador's office as well as those of several other high ranking officials.  
  
Upon entering the office, they found the two officials that had participated in the previous discussion from the ship seated at the large conference table, along with the Ambassador and two security guards. To her, the guards were not a good sign. This was definitely a show of force, either in response to the Veret threat, to intimidate Janeway in some way, or some combination of the two. She was relatively certain they were not her to protect her and her team.  
  
The Ambassador noticed her scrutiny of the situation and rose to greet her. "Captain Janeway, we welcome you and your staff. I apologize for the added security. These men are here at the insistence of Minster Gremnet." he said, holding his hand in the direction where the Minister himself sat nervously at the table. "Until now it has not been necessary for him to be directly involved in our dealings with you. I hope you can understand that under the circumstances we must take all precautions."  
  
In reality, the Ambassador was not happy with the presence of security during this meeting at all, and had fought tooth and nail with the others in the room to allow this meeting to take place peacefully and under the same conditions as all their previous dealings with Voyager, but they would not cooperate.  
  
Of the two in question, Minister Gremnet was by far the most dangerous of the two, and for good reason. He was a hard man, both in his basic personality and in his experiences. Most of his life had been spent in the pursuit of a better defense system to keep the Veret out of the caverns, and then to exterminate them altogether.  
  
Recently, he had been in charge of a team of technicians and security officers attempting to modify the perimeter grid to extend beyond its original boundaries. Their underground community had grown, and while there was plenty of livable space yet to be occupied in the caverns, the territory encompassed by the grid created by their ancestors was not sufficient to keep them all safe as they moved beyond their current borders.  
  
Unfortunately, the efforts of his team had been a disaster, the capture of the Captain and B'Elanna by the Veret being only one of the consequences of their failure. Their attempts to enhance the technology had, in fact, caused a cascading instability they were unable to stop, and that brought the system down completely, at precisely the time when the two women had met the Hakonene on the surface.  
  
The fact was, the knowledge of how to keep the system operating at peak capacity, and the ability to repair or modify the technology, had largely been lost over time. The Hakonene had become complacent, thinking they had been successful in annihilating the Veret and they were therefore no longer a threat. They believed themselves safe enough, even from potential visitors from space, because of the inhospitable climate. Now they were paying a price for that complacency.  
  
Janeway of course, did not know this yet, but the Ambassador did, and he was about to tell her this in the hopes that she would be willing to help them with the knowledge and technology that he had so recently asked for. He felt that by being as honest as possible, they could encourage Janeway and her crew to help them. He could see no other appropriate course of action.  
  
On the other hand, Gremnet was getting desperate. It was largely his fault that things were the way they were, and his guilt, coupled with his fear, was pushing him into a very dangerous frame of mind.  
  
The Ambassador went on to the formalities of introducing the other Hakonene in the room. His name was Milkor, and he was the closest thing the Hakonene had to a head of state as he was currently the leader of the ruling council. Janeway had met both of these men once before, during one of the diplomatic dinners they had participated in at the beginning of their dealings with the Hakonene.  
  
Gremnet had reminded her of a number of Klingons she had encountered in her years in Starfleet, including B'Elanna. They always seemed just the tiniest bit angry about everything. As she didn't really need to deal with him, she had put the thought to the back of her mind and moved on to more important things.  
  
As for Milkor, Janeway hadn't been very impressed. He was obviously in his position through inheritance, as was the rest of the six member Ruling Council, and there was nothing impressive about him, not his age, not his stature, not his utterances. Janeway couldn't remember him saying more the a dozen words the entire time she had been anywhere near him. As a matter of fact, now that she thought about it, he spent most of his time following, or being followed by, Gremnet.  
  
Janeway was getting impatient with the formalities and concerned that this meeting should not go on too long. Given the combination of people in the room, there was something about the obvious allegiances that her instincts just didn't like. "I believe we should get down to business. We don't have much time. Commander Chakotay is very concerned for my safety and we have a strict schedule to maintain."  
  
The Ambassador motioned for her to take a seat and did so himself. Tuvok and Ayala continued to stand in the most strategic positions available, one near the door, and one just over her left shoulder.  
  
"As I said during our last discussion Captain, I believe there are some discrepancies in our history that we are unable to explain. Many of these have only come to light recently as we have again been in conflict with the Veret, an enemy we thought long gone. You have been with them, what have you learned?"  
  
Now that she had her opportunity, she wasn't sure she wanted to go through with her plan. The information she held would be a shocking revelation to the Hakonene. Based on what the Ambassador had said, the descendents of the original Hakonene to arrive here were not generally knowledgeable of the events of that had brought them to the caverns. It was possible that some of them had carried the knowledge of their origins with them, but had effectively kept it a secret in order to maintain their way of life and instill in those that lived here a general hatred of the Veret and an instinctive desire to protect what they felt to be their homeland from barbaric marauders.  
  
Swallowing the last of her uncertainty, she forged ahead, truly believing it to be the best for all concerned. "Ambassador, I mean no disrespect to you or your people by what I am about to reveal to you. I have spent some time with the Veret, and much of it with their leader, a man named Jomar. I honestly believe that the Veret originally lived in the caverns that you now call your home, and that the Hakonene came here from another planet. We have found evidence of a ship on the surface and I have a team of officers investigating it as we speak. I hope to find further evidence of exactly how and when your people came here." She stopped and let her words hang in the air, awaiting a response from those around her before she continued.  
  
What she received was a stunned silence from the Ambassador, a look of restrained rage from Gremnet, and a look she couldn't quite place on Milkor's face. Hearing nothing from any of them she continued. "The Veret are starving and dying of disease on the surface. There isn't enough food or other resources to sustain them. The only chance they feel they have is to fight you and regain the caverns for themselves, or they are willing to die in the attempt."  
  
The Ambassador shook his head, the slightest hint of moisture in his eyes as his world fell apart around him. "Some of us have known for some time that the stories passed down from our ancestors didn't make sense, not if you looked at everything as a whole and tried to put it all together. There is also the issue that our technology is breaking down and no one seems to have the skills to repair it. Why would our ancestors not pass on the knowledge we needed to maintain what we have?"  
  
His voice was becoming edgy and filled with emotion. Taking a moment to calm himself, he then went on. "I was always told that we would never need to know, that there would be no need to worry because the Veret would never bother us again. We were even beginning to have difficulties with our communications and the patrol ship that we use to communicate with passing travelers like yourselves when you came along. When those systems fail, we will no longer be able to trade for what we need. That is why when we encountered you, we were desperate to get assistance from a technologically advanced race. Then to find out that you had a policy of not trading for such things, and that you had established a trading relationship with the Veret, possibly only to make them more able to fight us, it put is in a tremendously difficult position. I'm sure you can understand how that could make us somewhat desperate."  
  
Janeway did understand the Ambassador's perspective, and now that she was aware of it, she was relying on it help find a way to help the Veret. Glancing quickly at the others at the table she noticed that they were becoming more and more agitated as this conversation continued. Unfortunately there would not be time to further investigate the meaning of their demeanor for the moment. They were getting close to the communications deadline with Chakotay and she had said enough for now, at least until she could get a full report from the rest of her officers. With luck, they would provide her with the rest of the pieces her mind needed to complete the puzzle that she had been forming for the last couple of days.  
  
She was also well aware of her need to get back in touch with Jomar and find out how things with the Doctor were progressing. It would not be a good idea to leave that situation unattended too long.  
  
Knowing the Ambassador was waiting for some kind of response from her, she placed her hands on the top of the conference table and pressed herself to a standing position, Tuvok and Ayala instantly responding to the change. "Ambassador, I believe we have taken this conversation as far as we can until I can bring you more information from the ship we located. You have my word that this information will stay confidential until we speak again. Neither I nor anyone from my ship will communicate this to anyone without the consent of yourself and your ruling council. I promise to contact you as soon as we have something more to report to you. I believe any further trade discussions must wait until we have a more thorough understanding of the relationship between yourselves and the Veret."  
  
The Ambassador rose to his feet as well, although he looked somewhat shaky on them. "I understand." he said simply.  
  
She genuinely disliked having confirmed his suspicions, but at least it was just that, and not the complete surprise she was originally concerned it would be. As she moved toward the door, the Ambassador escorting her and her officers there himself, she was somewhat disturbed to see an incredibly animated but muffled discussion taking place between the Minister of Security and the Head of State, and she determined they should to get back to Voyager before the instinctive itch that she was now feeling turned into a raging irritation.  
  
TBC 


	13. Part 13

At Face Value - Part 13  
  
Written - 7/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 13  
  
"Lieutenant, I believe I have located their computer database." said Seven as she ducked under a collapsed ceiling strut in what they believed to be the remains of the Hakonene ship's bridge.  
  
For the last hour, they had been prowling around the ship, albeit carefully, as there were several sections that had collapsed and were in danger of further doing so. They had found more than enough intact however, to identify another small patrol ship in a cargo or shuttle bay that was identical to the one they had encountered upon arriving at the planet. It had obviously been damaged at some time or other and remained in the bay to be crushed by falling debris as the ship disintegrated.  
  
The group of four had formed two teams when they reached the end of the access tunnel with the objective of capturing as much evidence to prove where the Hakonene had really come from and to understand as much as possible about their history. After making several visual recordings of the interior of the ship, including the patrol ship and an empty cavity where the shield and main power generators had once been installed, Seven and B'Elanna had made their way forward on an upper level, while Vorik and Jenkins had done the same, only two levels down.  
  
The ship wasn't near as large as Voyager in overall dimensions, but it was clearly designed to be a transport vessel of some kind. There were a total of four decks containing crew and passenger quarters lined with bunks constructed into every possible space other than the bay containing the patrol ship and the obvious operation and command centers of the ship. Performing a quick calculation, Seven and B'Elanna surmised that at full capacity the ship could easily accommodate a compliment of three hundred.  
  
Seven now approached the computer console with eager anticipation. The information it might contain could be very important to the success of the Captain's endeavor to help the Veret. She wanted very much to help if she could. Over the last couple of years, things that were important to Janeway often became important to Seven as well. The Captain had truly been a mentor and friend, and while not obvious to anyone, Seven occasionally found ways to repay some of the effort Janeway had expended in bringing her back to her humanity, a thing that she now appreciated even though she had initially rejected it.  
  
"Lieutenant, I need the portable power supply."  
  
B'Elanna made her way across the space and handed Seven the small device. They knew there would be nothing live in a ship this damaged and this old, but the information contained within its systems might be at least partially intact if they could get to it. Connecting the device to what experience told her was the appropriate location, she adjusted the output of the devise to be compatible with the Hakonene systems. At first there was nothing, then a small amber indicator light on a console mounted on the bulkhead began to blink, intermittently at first, but within a few seconds it was burning steadily.  
  
The two shared a brief glance, obviously pleased with their success, then, flipping her tricorder open, Seven quickly began to download any information that was still intact from the database. As a data stream passed across the small tricorder screen, she realized that the format was one she did not immediately recognize, but she knew there was a good chance she would be able to decode it once they returned to the ship.  
  
"Getting anything Seven?" B'Elanna inquired, concerned.  
  
"Yes. But we will need to get it back to the ship in order to understand what it is."  
  
Just their comm badges chirped. "Delta Flyer to away team, come in."  
  
B'Elanna and Seven recognized the Captain's voice on the other end of the comm link. "Torres here Captain. I take it it's time to go."  
  
"Yes it is Lieutenant, unless of course you're in the middle of a great and earth shattering discovery."  
  
B'Elanna smiled, "As a matter of fact, Seven just finished one. We're on our way out. Torres to Jenkins."  
  
"Lisa here B'Elanna. We heard. The Captain must have patched her signal through to the whole team. We're on our way out now. By the way, we found something interesting as well. We'll tell you about it when we get back to the ship."  
  
"Great, see you in a few minutes. Torres out."  
  
=/\=  
  
As soon as Tom had made a low pass and had the away team safely inside the aft compartment of the Flyer, the weather began to close in and was worse than any of them had seen a long time. The snow was swirling and the gusts were dangerously strong. On several occasions, they were bounced violently from side to side, almost knocking those standing completely off their feet.  
  
Janeway quickly jumped into the seat at the console behind the pilot and to his right to check on the weather. She wasn't able to get a very clear reading, but what information she was able to get she didn't like.  
  
"Janeway to Voyager." The response to her hail wasn't silence, but it certainly wasn't what she needed it to be either, nothing but static was to be heard no matter how hard she tried. As she attempted to raise the ship in orbit, an idea found its way into her mind. "Tom, can you get us close to the Veret settlement?" She knew there was very little risk of them being seen, the blowing snow would effectively hide them from view of anyone on the surface.  
  
"Captain, I really think we should head back, it's getting pretty rough."  
  
"Just do it Ensign." she ordered, her patience with her officers questioning her decisions finally running out.  
  
"Yes Ma'am."  
  
"Get as close as you can, understood?"  
  
Tom only nodded, his attention more than a little occupied at just keeping them from rolling over.  
  
B'Elanna was currently manning the operations station in the rear of the cockpit. "Lieutenant, do you think you can transport me safely to the surface if Mister Paris here does a good job of flying?"  
  
"Well, yes but..."  
  
Rising from her seat and approaching the other side of the cockpit she cut her off. "That's the correct response B'Elanna, quit now while you're ahead." Then as rapidly as she had moved her attention from Tom to B'Elanna, she turned to Seven who was already at another console working on the database she had downloaded. "Seven, it's imperative that you put together a convincing story for me with the Hakonene. I need you and B'Elanna to work with the rest of your away team when you get back to Voyager. I want everything pulled together as soon as possible. Understood?" She turned away, but only for a fraction of a second before she turned back, and so quickly she almost made herself dizzy. "Oh, and go over all of this with Commander Chakotay. Tell him I'm expecting a full briefing when I get back."  
  
"Yes Captain, but..."  
  
Janeway laughed to herself and shook her head at the fact that she was getting almost the exact same response from all of her staff. As she headed back to the aft section, she was about to dive through the hatch when she ran right into Tuvok coming directly toward her from her desired destination.  
  
"Captain, to coin a phrase I learned from Mister Paris, where's the fire?"  
  
"No fire Tuvok, just a mission to accomplish. Now if you don't mind, I need to get a couple of things. Tom, B'Elanna, on my command. I'll contact you when I'm ready."  
  
"Understood." the two said in unison.  
  
"Captain, can I assume you are about to do something that neither I nor Commander Chakotay will approve of?"  
  
"You assume correctly Commander. I am about to join the Doctor on the surface. The weather is closing in and I promised I'd be back. If I don't take this opportunity, I'm not sure when we'll get the Doctor out of there and he's been down there alone too long already. Besides, I have more work to do with Jomar."  
  
Tuvok used his greater size to effectively block her passage to the aft compartment of the Flyer. "Captain, I must insist that you return with us to Voyager. We have not had the opportunity to evaluate the current situation and we are not prepared to leave you behind. I might also remind you that there has as yet been no opportunity to evaluate the data obtained from the Hakonene ship by the away team. You would be jeopardizing your chances for success by working with incomplete information."  
  
The wind was definitely picking up, and if Janeway didn't make her move in the next couple of minutes, she was certain they would completely miss this opportunity. Her hands made their way to her hips and she drew herself to her full height, looking directly up into Tuvok's eyes. "Tuvok, I realize that this is a bit sudden, but there is very little risk, other than the fact that we may be out of communication for a period of time. If it will make you happy, we have a ship full of security personnel, I'll take B'Elanna, Ayala, and one of your other security officers with me. Peterson will do, he was with us during the last trip. But I believe I need to do this now to move this operation forward. You can send the Flyer back for us at the first sign of a break in the weather. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do."  
  
Tuvok knew he really couldn't stop her. Of course he would face the Commander when he returned to the ship without the Captain, and that would not be pleasant, but he had been exposed to worse things. "Very well Captain, as you say, taking a security team and Lieutenant Torres with you will make me happy." he said, stepping to one side to allow her to pass.  
  
"Glad you're getting into the spirit of things Tuvok." As she moved past him, she rested her hand on his chest and spoke softly so that only he would hear her. "And thank you. I know you could have made this difficult, but my gut tells me everything will be fine, trust me on this."  
  
"If I didn't trust to your gut Captain, I wouldn't be allowing you to do this, despite a direct order. Please be careful."  
  
"I will. When you get back to the ship, give Chakotay a complete report of my meeting with the Ambassador. Tell him I'm relying on him to analyze the situation and think about an appropriate course of action, particularly how to move our plan along given this new development with the Hakonene. Now, would you please take B'Elanna's place at the transporter console? We have an appointment." she said as she looked back at B'Elanna and motioned with her head for the Lieutenant to follow.  
  
"Right behind you Captain." B'Elanna said as the Captain ducked through the hatchway and disappeared. She was more than a little curious at just exactly what was going on, but she wasn't going anywhere without bringing as much information as she could with her. It might come in handy. Quickly grabbing the tricorder she had been using to record information while they explored the Hakonene ship, she accessed the information that Seven had already downloaded into the Flyer's database. Once she'd gathered all she could in the amount of time available, she rose from the station allowing Tuvok to take her place.  
  
Bracing herself along the top of the console as she moved around it and toward the pilot's station. She rested her hand on Tom's shoulder and they made eye contact.  
  
"Be careful down there." he said, concerned. "The weather's pretty bad."  
  
His attempt at masking his real concern by using the weather as an excuse wasn't lost on her. "I will. See you soon."  
  
He nodded in response, a wealth of emotions captured in his eyes, and then his attention was quickly summoned back to his controls as the shuttle was buffeted to the side again.  
  
B'Elanna swallowed hard then turned away, managing to fall in behind the Captain without falling flat on her face from the irregular rocking motion of the Flyer as it was pounded by the wind.  
  
Shortly after the two women disappeared into the aft compartment they heard the Captain's voice. "Janeway to Paris, are we in position?"  
  
"Aye Captain, we're about as close as we're going to get."  
  
"Tuvok, you can make this transport happen, right?" Janeway inquired, but it was spoken in the tone of an order.  
  
"Yes Captain, you will most definitely arrive on the surface intact, although I cannot guarantee you will remain upright."  
  
The entire compliment of crew in the aft section laughed at Tuvok's attempt at humor, although Janeway knew there was more than likely a strong element of truth in what he had said. Squaring her feet beneath her, she gave the required command, "Energize."  
  
=/\=  
  
The Hakonene Ambassador was pacing the conference room that had so recently been occupied by Voyager's captain. He was impatiently awaiting the rest of the Ruling Council. After Janeway and her officers left, the conversation between those remaining in the room had gotten extremely heated.  
  
Gremnet was convinced that the course of action the Ambassador was taking was a mistake. While he was desirous of the technology and weapons that Voyager had to offer, he was not at all convinced that they should be delving into their history, and particularly not with these outsiders who were now showing compassion for their sworn enemies. It could only lead to more trouble.  
  
Milkor was even more certain they should not be looking into their history. He and two others on the Council were well aware what would be revealed if the Ambassador kept probing into their past. It was information that had been carefully guarded over the generations by a select group of individuals. They were the direct descendents of the leaders of a group of refugee Hakonene that had landed here one hundred and seven years ago.  
  
That group had largely consisted of politicians and academics, none with more than a passing knowledge of how to pilot a starship. It had proven to be their downfall. They had banded together when their world was deeply embroiled in a civil war. Years of fighting had led to utter devastation, and no matter what efforts were attempted to resolve the conflict, they always failed.  
  
Over time, the massive use of conventional weapons led to the development of more sophisticated weapons and technology, their ability to travel among the stars a direct result. The devastation inflicted by these new capabilities being more absolute as the years dragged on.  
  
After several generations of war, an underground movement of former politicians, university scholars and researchers had arisen, making one last plea for sanity to save their world. This had also failed, and they were left with the choice of leaving or facing extinction as the planet became more and more uninhabitable and those that remained more desperate, almost primal, in their desire to survive.  
  
After several months of preparation and careful planning, the group had managed to infiltrate a starship development program, one working on a troop transport that could also serve as an orbiting command center, placing themselves in key staff and administrative positions just as the project was coming to completion. The other staff working on the project never suspected anything, as the balance of power was always shifting, even within the same factions.  
  
When the project was completed, they provisioned the ship, smuggled themselves and their families on board, and escaped on the ship's maiden voyage, leaving their devastated world behind forever. There was only one problem. They had no idea where their journey would take them and they had only recruited a minimal number of crew who were actually knowledgeable in operating and navigating the ship.  
  
After several months, they encountered an interstellar storm of incredible strength and dramatic proportions. They ultimately survived the storm, but not without considerable damage to the ship. They also discovered the storm had dropped them into a slowly deteriorating orbit around the Veret homeworld. Somehow, they managed to land the ship on the surface without completely destroying it in the process, and they found themselves faced with another challenge, the completely inhospitable climate.  
  
Scouting parties were sent out and reported finding the native inhabitants living in a lush cavern system. They also reported that they were a relatively primitive people. At first, the Hakonene weren't sure what to do. They had escaped the war and devastation of their home planet and had no wish to invade another, yet they could not stay where they were, the ship would not sustain them forever.  
  
Eventually, a small group was sent to the caverns in an attempt to make contact with the cavern dwellers. They never returned, and the remaining Hakonene were never able to determine what happened to them. Speculation and fear became part of every discussion where the natives were concerned. Eventually, as the ship's remaining systems failed, and their supplies dwindled, they made plans to take the caverns by force. If the inhabitants cooperated, they would share their world, if not, they would be annihilated. They convinced themselves it was simply an issue of survival.  
  
When the time came, the Veret had done what any species would have done, they defended their homes and their families, but they were no match for the invaders and their weapons and technology. It was over quickly, with the survivors forced to establish a settlement on the shores of the southern ocean and attempt to live in the inhospitable climate on the surface.  
  
Milkor knew all this, as did two others on the Council. They had come into possession of this knowledge as the eldest children of the eldest children for generations, their Hakonene ancestors vowing to keep the knowledge of their true history from the general population in order to establish this planet as their ancestral home and the Veret as invading barbarians. The entire population of the Hakonene ship had agreed to keep the knowledge of their origins secret, even from their own children, thinking it in their best interests.  
  
Now that history was in jeopardy of being revealed, and at a time when they were at their most vulnerable, probably even more so than when they had come here in the first place. Then they had been able to adapt some of their technology to provide power and establish a security perimeter. They had even been able to launch one of the patrol ships and create a communication link to passing ships, but over time, they had lost what little knowledge they had concerning how to maintain these systems.  
  
They had gotten by for a long time by trading with other technologically advanced species, but even that had been problematic. The repairs they made over the years actually resulted in more problems, the alien spare parts and somewhat incompatible technologies they introduced simply to buy more time for their rapidly deteriorating systems causing other failures they could not have anticipated.  
  
"Councilor Milkor, are you listening?" The inquiry was from Gremnet, who was seated next to him and becoming impatient with the Milkor's apparent inattentiveness. The two of them had set this meeting up having made a decision that something drastic needed to be done to change the course of events that the Ambassador had started in motion. There was only one problem. Milkor wasn't sure he could go through with this.  
  
Never in his life had he stood for anything, fought for anything. He'd never even expressed an opinion one way or another, at least not until he was certain there was no risk involved. He'd always followed along, maneuvered his way through until he could latch onto the prevailing opinion of those around him and make it his own. Now he was being placed firmly in a position where he would have to take a stand, and it could risk everything, including their very society.  
  
Milkor ignored Gremnet and wrung his hands under the table as the rest of the available council members finally arrived. Only three were still unaccounted for but they decided to get started. As the meeting had been called on very short notice and was an emergency session, they had anticipated that not all of the council members would be able to be on time. Several of them were engaged in the defense of the caverns and could not leave their command posts until they could find someone to take their place along the defenses. As no one else was taking charge, the Ambassador called the meeting to order and began to discuss the matter at hand.  
  
Finally Milkor regained his composure and spoke to Gremnet under his breath, sounding more than a little impatient. "Yes Gremnet, what seems to have you so concerned?"  
  
Gremnet now looked outwardly disgusted. "Ambassador Lukar is attempting to convince the Council that we should consider another course of action than continuing to fight the Veret. He is about to reveal what Janeway told us. You must stop him. You must implement our plan."  
  
Milkor considered Gremnet's words for a moment and placing his uncertainty somewhere in the back of his mind, he turned his attention to the Ambassador and waited for just the right moment.  
  
"... we now have information from Captain Janeway of Voyager that our suspicions..."  
  
Suddenly Milkor sprang from his seat. "Enough!" he shouted. "I've heard enough of this! Are you to have us believe that what our ancestors have told us is all a lie? Would you believe what this foreigner has said over what we have been taught for as long as we can remember? She has consorted with our sworn enemies. How do we know that she is not in league with them to take our home? I say she and her crew cannot be trusted, and if you continue in this course of action I will have you removed from office before you can utter another word of this treason! Do you understand?"  
  
The Ambassador, as well as almost all of the rest of the Council, and the Minister of Security himself, were completely shocked by the action of their Head of State. He had never before shown himself to be this decisive, this aggressive. For the moment, they were all stunned into silence and he took advantage of the opportunity.  
  
"My father was the head of this Council, and his father before him. Both of them were heroes of the Veret wars. I realize that I have never achieved the success of my forebears and that I have never distinguished myself in your eyes or the eyes of our citizens. Until now I have chosen the easy path and allowed the rest of you to do my work for me. Well now I say no more! I can no longer remain silent when our civilization and our very lives are in jeopardy. From this day forward I pledge myself to freeing us from the scourge of the Veret on our homeland, to finding a way to repair our technology, and to eliminating these rumors and lies about our history forever."  
  
The Ambassador tried to speak and was summarily interrupted before he had uttered even one complete word.  
  
"Silence Lukar! We have allowed you to be the conduit with alien visitors for far too long. You are obviously far too trusting, too accommodating, and it has been to our disadvantage. We need to act and to act quickly to take advantage of Captain Janeway and the resources of her vessel. If we handle this properly, we can gain an advantage over the Veret that they will never be able to overcome." Milkor looked around the table at the startled faces of the rest of the Council, and in particular Ambassador Lukar. In one decisive action he had taken control. Now all he had to do was keep it before anyone began to question him. "Minister Gremnet, I will meet with you and your most senior officers here in thirty minutes. Councilor's Littel and Tolora, as two of the most senior members of the Council, I wish you to join us, your experience and wisdom will be of value."  
  
Ambassador Lukar could not believe what was happening around him. "Councilor Milkor, with all due respect, what could you possibly hope to gain by attempting to take advantage of Voyager. They have a powerful ship, and Janeway and her officers are not fools. Even if I were willing to go along with..."  
  
"Ambassador!" Milkor shouted. "I will have silence from you or you will be jailed as a traitor to our people." The Councilor turned to Gremnet. "Minister, I wish you to have the Ambassador escorted back to his office. He is to remain there until I call for him."  
  
Gremnet nodded and stepped outside the room for a moment. When he returned he was accompanied by two security guards who approached the Ambassador and grabbed him by the arms. He swung both arms forcefully back and forth to free himself but to no avail.  
  
With that, another of the council members rose to his feet. "Councilor Milkor, I am not certain why there has been such a dramatic change in your behavior today. We have all been under a great deal of stress but that does not sufficiently explain all this. Lukar has been a loyal servant of the people. I insist that you treat him with respect until we have had the opportunity to further investigate these matters."  
  
Milkor's mind was racing. He had taken a course of action that was utterly foreign to him, but one which he felt could be successful if he stayed the course. Lukar he could handle, but all out opposition from enough other members of the Council could jeopardize his plan. He had selected Littel and Tolora for a reason. They were the other two members of the Ruling Council that knew the truth of their history. They would most assuredly follow his lead without question as they had each been sworn to their silence through a solemn vow to their fathers. No matter what ultimately became of the Hakonene, these three would take their secrets to their graves if need be.  
  
Before he could finish deciding on a course of action, Gremnet took the matter in his own hands. Drawing his energy weapon from its holster at his waist, he pointed it directly at the Councilor who had questioned Milkor. "You will all be taken into custody until we can decide who is loyal to this cause." Pressing a communication control on a panel in the tabletop, Gremnet summoned an entire security detail into the room and within seconds had everyone except those specifically identified were escorted from the room, many of them with more than a little protest.  
  
Once the room was clear, Gremnet returned to find the three talking quietly.  
  
Tolora sat on the edge of the table. "Well Milkor, you've certainly taken control, but I hope you know what you're doing. If we're not very careful, this course of action could be more disastrous than if we had done nothing."  
  
Milkor sat heavily in the chair most recently occupied by the Ambassador and rested his face in his hands. "I am well aware of that Tolora, there is no need to remind me." he said, his voice somewhat muffled.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway and her team materialized on the surface approximately fifty meters from the Veret settlement and could barely see their hands in front of their faces through the blowing and drifting snow. Within seconds of their arrival, Janeway was very literally blown off her feet, tumbling several meters down a large snowdrift. Obviously there was more than a little truth to Tuvok's attempt at humor back on the Flyer. As she rolled over and attempted to rise to her feet, she felt Mike Ayala's strong arms lift her from the snow to her feet while B'Elanna began to knock the fine powdery snow from her parka.  
  
"Thank you." she said, but it was largely lost to the howling of the wind. Knowing that any verbal orders she issued would be lost as well, she motioned for all of them to move forward toward the settlement.  
  
Several minutes of hard trudging later they found themselves at the entrance of the community house with nothing hindering them as even the Veret guards had the good sense to be inside in this kind of weather. After knocking heavily on the door, it opened to reveal a somewhat surprised Kamet.  
  
"We are here to see that our Doctor is alright and to speak with Jomar." said Janeway through half frozen lips.  
  
Kamet said nothing but held the door open for them to enter and closed and bolted it behind them once they were inside. As before, there were several others in the entrance hall talking quietly or working in some capacity. All of them turned or lifted their heads to see who had entered, but turned quickly back to what they were doing when they recognized who it was. Janeway thought it interesting that their appearance had so quickly become such a part of the routine in the settlement that no one thought anything of them showing up unannounced.  
  
Kamet quickly led them to the inner chamber that Jomar claimed as his own and knocked. A moment later the door was swung wide and Jomar looked down at his visitors. "Janeway, I was wondering when I would see you again, although I must admit I did not expect anyone to be traveling in this storm, it is one of the worst in recent memory."  
  
"I thought it important that I keep my word to return. I have something I wish to discuss with you."  
  
As she finished speaking, she caught a glimpse of the Doctor out of the corner of her eye. He was seated on a small cot beside the fire obviously helping someone to sit up. As she leaned forward for a better look, Jomar invited her in. "I am glad you have returned. As you can see, your Doctor has saved Menem's life. He will be well again thanks to you."  
  
Janeway was thrilled to see such progress in this man who not so long ago was at death's door. She was genuinely pleased for Menem, but was well aware that it also helped her cause a great deal. "That's wonderful Jomar, I'm glad we could help."  
  
Upon hearing Jomar speaking with someone, the Doctor looked up to see the group from Voyager enter the room. "Captain, I'm so glad to see you!" he exclaimed as he finished making Menem comfortable and scurried across the room to great them.  
  
"It's good to see you too Doctor. I assume all is well?" she said as she shook his hand.  
  
"Yes, yes it is." Removing his hand from the Captain's and sweeping it toward Menem he continued. "As you can see, my patient is doing quite well."  
  
Janeway again spoke to Jomar. "As I said, I have come back with some of my officers to check on the Doctor and also to talk to you about how we could help you make a better future for your people, but I would like some time to confer with the Doctor first, if that's alright with you?"  
  
Jomar looked down at her thoughtfully. "We are in your debt Janeway, you may take all the time you need." he said with a slight bow then turned to Kamet. "Take Janeway and her people to the common room, give them food and drink and allow them to have the room to themselves for as long as they like."  
  
"Thank you." Janeway responded, sincerely grateful for Jomar's hospitality, so very different from their first encounter. "Doctor, will you join us?"  
  
"Yes Captain, I'm finished here for the moment."  
  
As they followed Kamet toward the mess hall that they had spent so much time in during their last visit, B'Elanna and the others were already wondering just what the Captain had in mind.  
  
TBC 


	14. Part 14

At Face Value - Part 14  
  
Written - 10/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 14  
  
"Delta Flyer to Voyager, requesting clearance to land." Tom Paris' voice was clear and strong over the comm channel now that the Flyer was free of the planet's atmosphere and within visual range of the ship.  
  
"Harry here Tom, I'm opening the shuttle bay doors for you now."  
  
Chakotay had been sitting on the bridge anxiously awaiting the return of the away teams and the reports they would have, both the Captain's meeting with the Hakonene, and the reconnaissance of the derelict ship. His curiosity getting the better of him, he decided not to wait until the crew on the Flyer had all disembarked and reported to their normal duty stations until he contacted the Captain. "Chakotay to the Captain, Harry and I will be waiting for you in the briefing room. I assume you'd like to get started with the debriefing as soon as possible."  
  
"Tuvok here Commander. I regret to report that the Captain is not aboard the Flyer."  
  
Before Tuvok could utter another word, Chakotay had risen from his command chair and was standing tall in the center of the bridge, hands on hips, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "I'm not sure I should even ask this question, but please tell me where she might be if she is not with you?"  
  
"The Captain was concerned that she had left the Doctor alone with the Veret long enough. With the weather conditions rapidly worsening, she took the opportunity to return to the settlement and has asked that we return for her at the earliest break in the weather."  
  
Removing one hand from his waist, he used it to rub his forehead. His commanding officer was playing fast and loose with protocol again, leaving him to hold down the fort. It wasn't the first time, and he was certain it wouldn't be the last. "Dare I ask who else she took with her on this little excursion?"  
  
"Officers Torres, Ayala and Peterson."  
  
Finally dropping his hands back at his sides, Chakotay responded, somewhat relieved that at least she hadn't gone alone. "Very well Tuvok. We'll discuss it in the briefing room as soon as you can make it up here. I want to see all available senior officers and the members of the team that explored the Hakonene ship."  
  
"Aye Commander. Tuvok out."  
  
Before Chakotay even had the chance to begin to move toward the briefing room, Harry called to him from the operations station. "Commander, I'm receiving a hail from the Hakonene Ambassador. It's very faint. It sounds more like a distress call."  
  
"On screen." Chakotay ordered.  
  
"There's no visual Commander, audio only."  
  
Chakotay stared at Harry, surprised and somewhat puzzled. "Put it on speaker then."  
  
There was some static to be heard in the background, but the Ambassador's voice came through clear enough. "Ambassador Lukar to Voyager. This is an emergency. Please respond." The words were repeated, but it was not a recording as the inflection and the tone varied, even on the same words.  
  
"Voyager here Ambassador. What is your emergency?" said Chakotay, still looking directly at Harry, whose expression identified he was equally puzzled.  
  
"Commander, I must speak with your Captain. Minister Gremnet and Councilor Milkor have taken control of the Council and attempted to take several Council members and I into custody shortly after she was here. They were concerned that the information you have discovered could be disastrous to our way of life if it is revealed. We have managed to escape and are in hiding in the caverns with a number of others. You must beware of Milkor. He plans to attempt to seize your technology by force to assist in the war against the Veret. He wishes to annihilate them. I know you have a policy of non-interference, but I must implore you, if you wish to help the Veret, please help us as well."  
  
"I knew all this was going too well." Chakotay thought to himself. Kathryn had obviously picked a really bad time to be gallivanting around a frozen planet in a blizzard and almost completely out of touch with him. Then his mind shifted back into command mode and began to identify possible scenarios for dealing with this situation. "Ambassador, the Captain is currently unavailable. You will deal with me. You must understand that all this is very sudden and you have given me very little information to go on."  
  
The Ambassador's voice was desperate, even more so than when they had spoken previously. "Commander, please, you must trust me. I and my colleagues are willing to consider that our history may not be exactly as we have been told. We are willing to look at alternatives to our recent course of action. But we must act quickly. Milkor and Gremnet will take total control before the people even know what has transpired and there will be no stopping them unless you help us."  
  
As the conversation continued, Tuvok, Seven and Tom entered the bridge from the turbolift along with the others from the search team on the Hakonene ship. They immediately began to listen intently to the impassioned plea from the Ambassador.  
  
"And what is it that you would have us do Ambassador?" asked Chakotay, playing for time to get enough information to make a decision and motioning for Tuvok to join him on the command level.  
  
"We cannot maintain a communication link for long. They will find us if we stay where we are. More than likely they are already aware of this transmission and are on their way."  
  
There was a long hesitation which led both Tuvok and Chakotay to believe that what they were about to hear would be a significant revelation. When the Ambassador finally continued, they were not disappointed.  
  
"We wish to ask for your protection and your assistance in making contact with the Veret."  
  
Tuvok and Chakotay looked at each other then Chakotay turned to Harry. "Ambassador, I must confer with Commander Tuvok who has just returned from the surface. I will contact you with an answer momentarily." Then he nodded to Harry who closed the comm link at Voyager's end but kept the channel open.  
  
"Well Tuvok, I realize you came into this conversation a little late, what's your take on the situation?"  
  
Tuvok stood ramrod straight, thoroughly aware that things had just gotten immensely more complicated. For the moment he could do nothing more than provide the information requested of him, but he knew they would soon be making decisions of paramount importance with little time to plan and with the command team physically separated at a critical time. It also surprised him that the situation bothered him. In theory, Vulcans shouldn't be bothered by anything, much less surprised by it. Maybe all this time lost in the Delta Quadrant with a largely human crew was finally getting to him. But now was not the time to be thinking about anything but the business at hand and he responded to Chakotay's inquiry. "While we were on the surface meeting with the Hakonene, the Captain and I observed some disconcerting behavior on the part of the Minister of Security and the Head of State. Both were conversing almost constantly during our visit, but not with the Captain or the Ambassador. They were obviously discussing something they did not wish us to overhear."  
  
"I wish there was time to get a full report before we made a decision, but I'm not willing to put the Ambassador and his people at further risk if there is sufficient cause to believe his story." Chakotay said, almost as if he was thinking out loud. When he'd made up his mind what needed to be done he turned to Tuvok, looked him directly in the eyes and asked, "Can I trust him Commander?"  
  
"I believe so. What he says is in keeping with the information we have available to us."  
  
"Very well then," turning back to the operations station he gave Harry a signal to engage the comm link. "Ambassador, we will try to help you. What do you suggest?"  
  
The Ambassador heaved a sigh of relief, but only momentarily. They had been hiding in a remote transmission station in a rarely used part of the caverns but knew that their communication with Voyager would be traced. It was a risk they were willing to take. One of the sentries they had placed several meters down the path from the main cavern had just burst through the door to tell them a heavily armed security detail was heading their way.  
  
"Commander, we will be under attack at any moment unless we leave here."  
  
Chakotay did not like the pace of all this at all. "Where can we find you? We'll transport you to our ship."  
  
"No Commander, there are too many of us, and as you have already discovered, the risk of transport in this weather and without the signal booster would be too great."  
  
"Then where will you go?"  
  
"We will go to the area of the caverns where your officers were captured by the Veret. Do you remember it?"  
  
Chakotay answered simply. "Yes."  
  
"The guides that were with your Captain and Lieutenant Torres when they were attacked by the Veret are part of our group. They are the only Hakonene that know the exact location and as it is very remote, we will be safe enough there for a short time. We will meet you there as soon as you are able. Will you come?"  
  
Chakotay mulled it over, but only for a few seconds. "Yes Ambassador. We will come."  
  
"We'll be waiting Commander, and thank you."  
  
There was the sound of running, and what sounded like furniture being overturned, then nothing.  
  
No one on the bridge moved for a few moments, all of them well aware of what they were now getting themselves into.  
  
"Tuvok, I think now would be a good time for that meeting in the briefing room. I would guess we have approximately three to four hours before the Ambassador's group arrives at the rendezvous point in the caverns. We'd better have all the information we've gathered at our disposal when the time comes. To put it simply, we need a plan."  
  
"I concur."  
  
Chakotay smirked, intensely pleased that he could find something humorous given their present situation. "Why thank you Tuvok." Turning to the rest of the staff in the room he continued, "Harry, Seven, Tom, let's go." Chakotay said as he moved toward the door to the briefing room, the rest of the senior staff following closely behind.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway took a seat opposite B'Elanna at the table they had all chosen to occupy in the Veret mess hall, or as they called it, the common room. The Doctor had just finished briefing all of them on his experience treating Menem. Fortunately, he had nothing remarkable to report. He had spent the entire time looking after the wounded Veret and Jomar had left him completely alone, although he had often noticed the Veret leader observing him intently on more than one occasion in between meetings with various members of the settlement.  
  
As far as the Doctor could tell, there were several higher ranking Veret that helped in managing the activities of the settlement and the raids on the Hakonene. The woman who seemed to be everywhere whenever was named Sholu and was apparently head of Jomar's household, coordinating everything necessary for the running of the large community house as well as the sharing of what little they had for food.  
  
The Doctor had observed that the men making up the various raiding parties were always served first and in larger portions than the others. The young children, although there were very few of them, were given as much as they desired, and the wounded were well cared for also. The remainder, of which there often wasn't much, was divided among the women, older children and the elderly.  
  
After hearing this, the away team felt somewhat guilty at the relative abundance that they were provided when so many were left wanting. This also helped to put into perspective the fact that Janeway and B'Elanna had been provided with more than enough food and drink by these people even when they were being held prisoner by them. In truth, Jomar and his people were far from barbarians. There was a deeply held honor and decency in them that had not been lost even in the face of despair and deprivation.  
  
Janeway was just returning to the table after getting herself a mug of water, a piece of bread and some dried meat. It had been a long day and she had eaten very little, not to mention the fact that she was now suffering from the effects of caffeine withdrawal, the latter far more mental than physical. Given what the Doctor had said about the Veret and their food rationing, and knowing Jomar as she felt she did, it was her opinion that the Veret would be highly insulted if the visitors from Voyager did not partake of what they offered. Being the Captain, if she took advantage of what was provided, than the rest of them would feel it was alright to do as well, even in the face of their guilty consciences. Taking a seat beside B'Elanna she lifted a slice of bread to her mouth.  
  
As for B'Elanna, she had been feverishly punching information into a tricorder ever since they were closed into this room.  
  
"What are you working on that seems to have your undivided attention B'Elanna?" Janeway asked.  
  
B'Elanna replied without ever lifting her eyes from her work. "It's a good portion of the information we retrieved from the Hakonene ship. I downloaded it as we were leaving the Flyer. I thought if I could make some sense of it down here, it might become useful."  
  
Janeway was impressed. "Good thinking. Anything I can help with?"  
  
B'Elanna kept her attention on the tricorder as she replied. "I don't think so, unless you're an expert on encryption algorithms. It seems our friends the Hakonene restricted access to their official log entries. I have been able to make significant progress with their navigation and operations data though and I downloaded the contents of the universal translator language buffer in my comm badge to the tricorder and it's made quick work of anything that wasn't encrypted. I should have a good idea of where they came from and how they got here in a few minutes. I have a secondary process working on that now while I try to make heads or tails of this code."  
  
The Captain slid closer to B'Elanna along the bench and looked over her shoulder. "I knew there was a reason I brought you along, besides the fact that Tuvok wouldn't have let me out of his sight without an escort." B'Elanna smiled, but kept her attention on her work as Janeway continued. "As for encryption algorithms, I've probably got more experience than I'd like to admit thanks to that message from Starfleet we received a few of years ago, mind if I take a look?"  
  
With that B'Elanna did look up and straight into the eyes of her captain. She sometimes forgot just how capable Janeway was at technical problems. During their first few years of being stranded, the two of them had often worked on difficult problems together. It was something she had actually enjoyed. The teamwork, the mental challenges, the energy charged conversations, often in much the same physical position they were in now. Thinking of those times now she realized that she missed them.  
  
Part of it she knew was Janeway herself, many of the crew felt there was a growing distance between themselves and their captain, although none of them could explain exactly why. There was also the fact that Seven of Nine had taken up residence and was often the one to tackle the more tricky technical problems, albeit with B'Elanna more often than not, but Seven's presence and expertise obviously removed Janeway from the picture a good deal of the time.  
  
Finally breaking eye contact with the Captain, B'Elanna turned her head back to gaze at the data on the tricorder. "Not at all." she replied to Janeway and handed her the devise.  
  
Janeway took the tricorder and began working with the encrypted data. "This is good work B'Elanna, believe it or not, it appears you were almost there yourself." She entered a series of computations and then lifted the corner of her mouth into a knowing smirk. "Voila!" she said, handing the tricorder back to her chief engineer.  
  
B'Elanna took it back and looked intently at the display. "You did it Captain, thank you." her excitement evident in her tone of voice as she watched the handheld computer unscramble and reassemble the data.  
  
"Well, it appears we'll be here for a while longer, the weather isn't showing any signs of letting up. In the meantime, I suggest we attempt to make some headway with our original plan." By this Janeway was referring to the plan they had all discussed prior to her leaving for the planet and sending the away team to the derelict Hakonene ship. "Given what we know now, we may have a better chance of making this work than before."  
  
Ayala responded, "Do you think that's wise Captain? Under the circumstances, we don't know what's happening with the Hakonene. I didn't like the way some of them were behaving during our last visit. Let's just say I have a bad feeling about what they were up to. I'm afraid we could go ahead with all this only to have things fall apart on the other end before we know it."  
  
Janeway took a sip of water from her mug, trying desperately to imagine she was tasting the wonderfully bitter warmth of a strong cup of coffee instead. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who picked up on the situation with the Hakonene. I was starting to wonder if I was imagining things. I appreciate your concerns, but under the circumstances, I think we need to take advantage of the opportunity that we have in front of us. I also realize we need to tread lightly with Jomar. We can't rush this or we'll destroy any chance we have for success no matter what happens with the Hakonene. There is a great deal of ground work to be done before we get far enough to worry about exactly what's happening with the Hakonene. And of course there the fact that I really don't want to upset Jomar in any way. I'd rather not find myself flung against a wall again."  
  
The Doctor spoke up, more than a little alarmed at the path this conversation was taking, especially when he now recognized that a good deal must have happened since he had been left behind that he was not aware of. "What plan are you referring to Captain?"  
  
"While you were down here doing all the really hard work Doctor, we've been working on a plan to help the Veret. It mainly involves getting the Veret and the Hakonene to stop fighting each other and work together. We intend to use our favorable position with the two to negotiate something that would be to their mutual advantage. Both sides are desperate. The Veret are on the verge of extinction and are willing to fight fearlessly to their last man, and the Hakonene are watching their technology fail by the moment and there is every chance that the next attack will have the Veret inside the caverns. Both are extremely vulnerable. If they keep fighting, they'll annihilate each other."  
  
"An ambitious plan Captain." said the Doctor. "But what makes you think it has any chance of success? The Veret and the Hakonene very literally hate each other. I'm afraid that trying to get them to sit in the same room together, much less come to some sort of agreement, will be extremely difficult."  
  
Janeway smiled and rose from the bench to pace the floor beside the table. She always did her best thinking walking around. "Call me the eternal optimist Doctor. I think they both have more to lose than ever before and we just might be able to take advantage of it. I say we stick to our original plan of action and we'll deal with whatever complications the Hakonene toss in our way as we go along." Rounding the end of the table, she stopped behind B'Elanna and rested a hand on the engineer's shoulder. "How's it coming?"  
  
B'Elanna turned her head and looked up. "I've pieced together most of the navigational information. Now I'm sorting through what appear to be their captain's logs as well as journal entries from some other key leaders in their group. There's a lot here. It's going to take a little while to wade through it."  
  
Janeway pulled her own tricorder from an inside pocket of her parka and set it on the table next to Peterson. "Now, I'd rather not keep my friend Jomar waiting too long wondering what we're up to. I want the two of you to work with the information B'Elanna has and piece together as much of the Hakonene story as you can while I'm gone. You can use my tricorder if it'll help speed up the process." She waited for a moment until she received some form of acknowledgement from those in question. Then she spoke to Ayala and the EMH, "You two are with me." she finished as she turned and headed toward the door.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay and Tom sat in the cockpit of the Delta Flyer trying for all they were worth to remain seated. The weather was horrible, the worst they had encountered since they had come to this planet, the wind and blowing snow so powerful that Tom was having even more trouble than before keeping the craft under control. The two officers, along with six other crewman, were on their way to meet with the Ambassador and the rest of his party, all now apparently victims of a hostile take over.  
  
"Can you get us there in all this Tom? It seems much worse that we anticipated." Chakotay inquired.  
  
"Sure, no problem." Tom said, with more than a hint of skepticism in his voice. "I'll get us there Chakotay, but it won't be much of a joy ride."  
  
Chakotay smiled as a sudden gust shook the ship. He knew Tom was working hard to keep the shuttle in one piece. It was simply an unfortunate complication of the decision he and Tuvok made to help the Hakonene Ambassador and his group. Tuvok was now in command of Voyager while her two most senior officers were both engaged in unplanned away missions. While both commanders knew the risks, they still felt compelled to do this.  
  
The entire situation between the Hakonene and the Veret had taken a decided turn for the worse, at least in terms of its complexity and regarding Voyager's involvement. Whatever happened next would more than likely stretch the boundaries of the Prime Directive, but it wouldn't be the first time it had happened to them out here. Ironically, it wasn't bothering Chakotay at all. He knew in his heart, as did the Captain, that they were doing the right thing in trying to help. He just wished he and Kathryn had been able to discuss a course of action before he had been forced to move forward on his own.  
  
"We're just about there Commander, I suggest you brace yourself, this is likely to be a rough landing."  
  
Chakotay tapped his comm badge. "All hands, brace for landing." Then he wrapped both hands tightly around the closest hand holds he could find, pressing his feet firmly against the deck plates.  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar brought four mugs of ale to the table where the Doctor and the Captain were seated, taking a seat across from the two of them and pushing the last toward the end of the table near Ayala. He was standing just behind the Captain's left shoulder, watching for any sign of trouble. It was the first time he had been this close to Jomar and was truly impressed by the Veret's size and physical strength. He no longer wondered how the Captain had been so seriously injured during her first encounter with them. Jomar very literally could probably toss him against a wall if he was angry enough.  
  
"I was happy to hear of your return Janeway." Jomar began. "I wanted to thank you again for the help your Doctor has given us. He not only saved Menem's life, he gave assistance to several of our community who were ill. We are especially grateful for the children he has helped. We are in your debt."  
  
Janeway responded by holding up her hands briefly and then lowering them as she began to speak. "I am glad we could be of help Jomar. But you are not in our debt. We do not expect anything in return for our help other than your friendship."  
  
Jomar nodded his head. "It would be an honor."  
  
There was never going to be a better time to approach this subject with Jomar. He was in a most pleasant state of mind where Janeway and her crew were concerned, and there was currently no fighting going on to distract him either, complements of the horrendous weather. With those items in her favor, Janeway took the plunge. "Jomar, I'd like to talk to you about something, something very serious, but that I think could help you in your situation with the Hakonene, and quite possibly lead to a better future for you and your people."  
  
Jomar leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Very well Janeway, I will listen."  
  
Plowing ahead, the Captain made every attempt to use much of the same terminology that Jomar used during their first discussion of the Hakonene. "The Hakonene did indeed come here from the sky from a far off place. We have found what remains of the great sky machine that brought them here damaged far beyond repair. We still don't know exactly why they came here, but we do know when. You said they arrived during your grandfather's time didn't you?"  
  
"Yes, they came and forced us from our home. They killed my grandfather when they came."  
  
Janeway nodded. "I remember, you told me about that when we spoke before. Jomar, how long do your people live?"  
  
Jomar looked somewhat puzzled. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, how many seasons do the Veret live, their normal life span?"  
  
"When we are not being slaughtered by the Hakonene or dying of disease and starvation, many live over one hundred seasons. With things as they are now, most do not live beyond sixty."  
  
This was interesting information. The Veret actually had life spans similar to those of most humans. The Hakonene on the other hand, must have relatively short life spans. Janeway guessed in the neighborhood of thirty to forty years. This didn't surprise her given that one of the first species of humanoids they had encountered in this quadrant were the Ocampa. If Kes had stayed with them on Voyager she would have been an old woman by now.  
  
Knowing her next statement would be a milestone in the execution of their plan, she braced herself for the inevitable furor it would create. "Jomar, we have been in contact with the Hakonene again."  
  
"You have, have you?" Jomar growled. "And for what purpose?" His voice was low and dangerous. He was obviously holding back his temper with every ounce of strength he had.  
  
Janeway kept her voice calm and her expression neutral. She would not provoke him in any way if she could avoid it. Her words were incendiary enough without adding more fuel to the fire. "We have continued our trade relationship with them. The caves have many things that we need to sustain our community."  
  
Jomar slowly stood and moved away from the table, taking several steps across the room to stand in front of the shrine. He spoke without turning around. "If you have more to say Janeway, you had better say it while I still have control of my anger and before I forget what you have done for us."  
  
Ayala stepped half a step closer to his commanding officer as he watched Jomar's hands now clenching at his sides, a clear indication of the rage simmering just below the surface.  
  
"We are not in league with them against you Jomar. As we have told you, we did not know of your people or your situation before we made contact with them. We have come to believe that their ancestors, the ones who first came here, the ones who murdered your grandfather, have told them lies about the Veret, lies that fuel their hatred your people and keep them fighting against you. I believe it may be possible for you to make peace with them if you are willing to work with us."  
  
Jomar turned slowly, staring at Janeway with a look that she had never seen in his eyes and that her limited knowledge of him could not place, and for the first time in his presence, she felt real fear.  
  
TBC 


	15. Part 15

At Face Value - Part 15  
  
Written - 10/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Author's note: Thanks to all of you for your patience in waiting for the rest of this story. Real life got in the way for a while. I hope you'll like where this is going, and I promise, we are almost to the end.  
  
Part 15  
  
The Delta Flyer landed on the surface of the planet with a decidedly bone jarring thud, skidding several hundred meters along the snow and ice, and plowing headlong through a number of immense snow drifts as it went and sending plumes of white powder high in the air.  
  
When they finally came to a complete stop, Tom and Chakotay each took the time to assess their own physical condition. Tom had lurched forward, hitting the pilot's console with his chest, but by his own quick assessment he was fine, just a couple of bruises. Behind him and to his left, Chakotay was dragging himself off the floor where he had landed heavily on his right arm. As he pressed himself upwards he discovered that placing weight on his hand and wrist caused him a good deal of pain. Examining it further, he found he had normal mobility in his hand and wrist and decided it was probably just a bad sprain.  
  
"You okay Tom?" Chakotay inquired as he rubbed his injured arm vigorously.  
  
Tom stood and straightened his uniform. "Yeah, just a couple of bruises. Sorry about the Flyer, hope I didn't ruin the paint job."  
  
Chakotay chuckled in spite of himself. "We'll take it up with the Captain when we get back. Maybe she'll make you scrub exhaust manifolds for a while. Then again, she might blame the whole thing on me for not keeping you out of trouble."  
  
"She might. You are the one in charge you know." Tom said as he went about running a quick diagnostic on the Flyer's systems. They would more than likely need the shuttle in tip top shape in order to get out of here when the time came. Not only would they be facing the weather again, they just might have to make a quick exit.  
  
Tapping his comm badge, Chakotay contacted the rest of the team in the aft compartment. "Chakotay to Johnson, you alright back there?"  
  
"Yes Commander, all in one piece."  
  
"Good, get ready. We'll be moving out as soon as we have the Flyer secured."  
  
"Aye Sir."  
  
Chakotay moved toward the back of the cockpit and grabbed his gear. He donned his heavy parka and tucked a phaser inside. Tom was right behind him.  
  
"You should know I ran a diagnostic. All systems check out fine and are on standby. I've configured a security code to prevent anyone from getting in and messing with anything while we're gone. It's a fairly simple algorithm that anyone from Voyager would decrypt in no time, but our friends the Hakonene would be at it forever."  
  
Chakotay patted him on the back as Tom slipped his own parka over his shoulders. "Good work Ensign. Now, let's go see what this is all about."  
  
As the two made their way to the hatch, the main group joined them from the aft compartment and together they made their way out into the blinding snow toward the cavern opening that not so long ago had been an exit for the Captain and B'Elanna as they were led away to the Veret settlement.  
  
=/\=  
  
Ambassador Lukar and his companions were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the team from Voyager. They had barely escaped one of Gremnet's search parties during their conversation with Chakotay and were not entirely sure they were safe here either. They had left the transmission station in great haste with little time to cover their trail. He knew they were being followed and it was only a matter of time before they were discovered.  
  
As he paced impatiently back and forth several hundred meters inside the entrance to the cavern, a sentry approached him brushing snow from his coat. "The group from Voyager have arrived Ambassador."  
  
Ambassador Lukar lifted his gaze to see over the sentry's shoulder and sure enough, a group of eight officers from Voyager were making their way along the path, Commander Chakotay in the lead. Moving around the sentry, he went to greet them.  
  
"Thank you for coming Commander." he said, honestly grateful, as he moved to stand in front of the newcomers.  
  
Chakotay shook the Ambassador's hand and he warmly returned the gesture. They had introduced the human custom to the Hakonene early in their visit. "You're welcome Ambassador. I suggest we skip the pleasantries and get right down to business. What exactly is going on?"  
  
The remainder of the Voyager team joined the other Hakonene and took up guard positions around the perimeter as the Ambassador began to explain the situation to Chakotay and Tom. As he continued to talk, they slowly made their way to an area where they could sit against several small boulders to complete their conversation.  
  
The Ambassador and the members of the Ruling Council wasted no time in providing Chakotay and Tom with the important details of their recent encounter with Gremnet and Milkor. "So you see Commander, we had little choice but to ask for your assistance." The Ambassador hesitated and looked directly at the others with him in turn, almost as if confirming their approval before he continued. "We must take back control of the Council if we wish to save our people from an uncertain fate at the hands of such leaders and have any chance to return to our homes and families."  
  
The two officers from Voyager listened patiently as the Hakonene told the rest of their story. It did indeed sound as if they had very few options. If they did nothing, they would have no choice but to attempt to hide in the caverns, a fate that Chakotay would not have wished on anyone as he knew without a doubt that it was only a matter of time before they would be captured and imprisoned or worse. The circumstances were unpredictable at best and there was no way of knowing to what measures Gremnet and Milkor would resort to in order to preserve their way of life.  
  
After the Ambassador and his companions had finished, Chakotay made a decision. Before any of them had left Voyager the last time they had developed a plan that the Captain was undoubtedly laying the groundwork for this very moment with the Veret. In order for it to work, they needed the cooperation of the Hakonene as well. Given the current circumstances, the best course of action appeared to be to move forward on both fronts. The Ambassador had already indicated his willingness to consider a different course of action where the Veret were concerned and there was no time like the present, particularly given the fact that there was no way of knowing exactly how much time they would have before they were found.  
  
"Ambassador, you mentioned that you wanted us to help you make contact with the Veret. Just exactly what did you have in mind?" Chakotay inquired.  
  
Ambassador Lukar shared another glance with each of the council members present. "When we last met with Captain Janeway she told us of what you have discovered, that you believe the Hakonene have not always lived here. Frankly, some of us had come to believe something like that as well. We have discussed this in great detail Commander, and we believe that our best chance of regaining control of the Council and to prevent further bloodshed is for us to attempt to establish a lasting peace with the Veret. I'm not sure it is even possible, but we believe we must try."  
  
Chakotay did his best to hide the small smile that had broken out on his face by rising from the boulder he was leaning on and walking around it, momentarily placing his back to the group. These were incredibly difficult circumstances, and they would have a long uphill battle to make all this work, but a major piece of the puzzle had just dropped itself right into place with little nudging or cajoling. Continuing around the boulder to face the group Chakotay spoke, "Well Ambassador, I believe it's time to let you in on a little secret."  
  
All the Hakonene responded with a similarly puzzled expression.  
  
"Captain Janeway and the rest of us on Voyager have been working on a plan for some time to bring the Hakonene and the Veret together just as you suggest. We don't have time to go into details now, but suffice it to say that the Veret made quite an impression on our captain while she was in their custody and when we got her back she was convinced that we needed to do something to help them but in a way that would not cause harm to the Hakonene. The only thing we could think of was to try to use ourselves as a conduit to establish a three way trading relationship and in turn encourage both of you to end this war of yours. As you have already heard from the Captain, part of that effort has been to try to establish for ourselves a more comprehensive picture of Hakonene history."  
  
The Ambassador rose from his place against a large boulder and moved to face Chakotay, obviously not knowing whether he should be grateful or angry for the intrusion into their way of life. "An interesting revelation Commander. Even with what your Captain told us, if I had the time and resources to be suspicious of your motives, I might take a different course of action, but in light of our current situation, I'm afraid we must assume you have only the best of intentions."  
  
Chakotay understood his concern and decided to take a moment to address it. "You can rest assured that our intentions are honorable Ambassador. If they were otherwise, you would have seen evidence of it by now. Frankly, if we had wanted to harm or take advantage of you or your people in any way, we would have done so before now. You must admit, we have the means."  
  
The Hakonene had been lucky for a very long time, and the Ambassador was well aware of it. Voyager was only one of a number of ships they had traded with in their history, but all of those they had encountered had been seeking supplies, many being travelers on long journeys, and they had posed no threat. The inhospitable climate did a marvelous job of keeping would-be colonists and conquerors away and fate seemed to have done the rest. With all the races they had encountered, they had continued on in relative peace and tranquility with the exception of the Veret.  
  
As the Commander had said, Voyager and her crew could most assuredly have been a significant threat to the Hakonene if they were of a mind to harm them. In truth they could have taken what the wanted by force and gone on their way. The fact that they had been nothing but friendly and accommodating was an indication of their true nature. But the Ambassador was still curious. "Tell me, why would you pursue such a course of action? You are on a long journey and will only be here for a short time. Why would you wish to involve yourselves in such a conflict when you know it will have no effect on you after you're gone."  
  
Chakotay smiled. "It's just our way Ambassador. Our civilization has been able to survive and thrive only because many races are able to live and work together. We face the difficulties and challenges of our existence together by sharing our resources, our cultures and ourselves. We have found it to be not only necessary but rewarding. We hoped we could help the Hakonene and the Veret discover that they would be better off working together than to continue as they are now."  
  
To the Ambassador, things were starting to fall into place. "You said when we spoke before that Captain Janeway was unavailable. May I surmise that is because she is with the Veret at this very moment?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And she would be attempting to talk to them concerning establishing a peace between us?"  
  
"I believe so Ambassador, yes." Chakotay said, although he could not be completely certain. "I have not spoken directly with her since before she met with you, but given the course of action we discussed before she left, I would imagine that is exactly what she's doing."  
  
The Ambassador paced back and forth in the middle of the group for several moments, his hands clasped behind his back, then turned back to face Chakotay. "Then it appears we have a common goal Commander. But very obviously we need your assistance in more than just talking to the Veret. What would you propose?"  
  
"For starters we need to ensure that you and the rest of your group are safe. Then..."  
  
As if in response to Chakotay's words, a commotion was heard at a distance to the left of the group, in the general direction of the deepest part of the cavern, interrupting the conversation. Within seconds one of the Hakonene sentries was in their midst, shaken and short of breath.  
  
"Ambassador... we have been found... Gremnet and his guards... they..."  
  
Chakotay and Tom then heard the distinct sound of energy bolts striking the surrounding rocks and dove for cover, both with their phasers in hand before they reached the ground.  
  
=/\=  
  
"Jomar listen to me." Janeway choked down her apprehension and rose from her seat. Better to be on the offensive in a situation like this. Rounding the end of the table, she moved forward to face him, both Ayala and the Doctor in a state of disbelief. "Do you honestly believe that you will win this fight? And even if it is possible, how many more of your people must die before you claim victory? Why not try another approach? What do you have to lose by listening?" Her tone was impassioned and her expression intense as she spoke.  
  
The Veret leader moved to stand only inches from Voyager's Captain, dwarfing her in his shadow. Ayala slowly slid his hand inside his parka in response, ready for anything, but allowing his captain all the time he could before he took action. He'd been witness to what a simple grasp of his powerful hand could do to her and one wrong move from this massive alien and Ayala would drop him where he stood before he'd had a chance to touch her.  
  
"You know I do not wish for more of my people to die Janeway, but what choice do we have? Peace with the Hakonene! Never! What could they possibly have told you for you to speak such words, and after I trusted you?" Turning away from her in disgust he moved across the room and kicked a chair clear across the room where it crashed against a cupboard full of earthenware mugs and plates, shattering many of them to bits, the shards dropping in piles to the floor. He turned back but kept his distance for the time being.  
  
Janeway followed him but remained at a respectful distance. "Jomar, it is the only way. In your heart you know that. Your fear and hatred are what prevent you from admitting it. I know how difficult it is to look beyond something that has driven you for so long, something that is part of who you are, but you must, for yourself and for your people. You are their leader, and that often means having to do things that are difficult and unpleasant, taking the responsibility for their survival upon yourself. You know that, you've been doing that for a long time. But this time you must reach even farther within yourself to find the answer, you must go against your nature and fight yourself instead of fighting everyone and everything else. Believe me, it will be the most difficult thing you have ever had to do, I know. Will you at least hear what I have to say?"  
  
At that moment, Jomar turned to look at her, staring deeply into her eyes. The fact was, he did trust this woman, she had proven to him in more ways than one that she was a leader, that she would sacrifice for her people and for others, and that she would boldly stand in the face of danger if necessary. She was strong, she was wise, and she was compassionate. Her actions and her words had proven that to him. Maybe she was speaking the truth. Peace with the Hakonene would not have been an option had these travelers not come into their lives. They would be continuing to kill each other this very moment if not for the weather. And Jomar knew in his heart and mind that even though there was a chance that they could indeed take back possession of parts of the caverns, they would lose many more Veret in the attempt and would continue to face a very uncertain future. Maybe there was a chance, with Janeway's help.  
  
The room was silent for some time, Jomar continuing to stare at her, Ayala continuing to hold his phaser at the ready, the Doctor not entirely sure what to do.  
  
"Very well Janeway, I will listen."  
  
When Jomar broke eye contact and moved around her to sit at the table there was a collective sigh of relief, the Captain raising and then lowering her head and catching her breath before turning back to join them.  
  
=/\=  
  
An energy bolt struck the lower edge of the boulder Tom was using to protect himself from the crisscrossing high intensity energy streams filling the cavern, the impact blasting dust particles and rock shards into his face. Shouting in pain, he dropped his phaser to the ground and thrust his hands over his eyes, trickles of blood forming between his fingers as Chakotay reached him.  
  
"Tom... are you alright?" he said as he slid to a stop in the dirt beside his fellow officer, knowing full well what the answer would be.  
  
"My eyes!" Tom cried, trying to maintain his composure as he fought for control against the intense stinking sensation in both eyes and the sticky warmth he felt in his hands.  
  
Chakotay yelled to one of the security detail who was nearby to cover them and then turned his attention to Tom. "You're going to have to let me take a look at this." he said, grasping Tom's wrists.  
  
Tom nodded and said nothing as Chakotay slowly pulled Tom's hands completely away from his face. There were red smudges everywhere and at first it was hard to see where the blood was originating from. Then Chakotay spotted a dark gash across the bridge of Tom's nose, and another over his left eye. Looking more closely at Tom's eyes, they were tightly shut and brimming with tears. Chakotay carefully lifted one eyelid and discovered that there was significant quantity of minute dust and rock particles covering the iris. While it was painful and debilitating in their current circumstances, it was nothing serious. Chakotay was grateful for that. After examining the other eye in the same manner, he spoke. "Tom, you're going to be alright. You've got a lot of dust in your eyes and there are a couple of lacerations on your face. I know it hurts, I wish I could do something about that, but for right now, just hold on okay?"  
  
Tom had managed to get over the initial shock of being injured and was as calm as could be expected. "Okay." he said, as he began to lift his fingers to his eyes. "I wish I had something to rinse my eyes with. This is driving me nuts." He muttered, his voice more than a little shaky.  
  
Chakotay patted him on the shoulder. "I understand. Just take it easy until we can do something for you. We've got a real fight on our hands and this may take a little while."  
  
"Wish I could be more help." Tom replied.  
  
"Yeah, me too. I'll be back as soon as I can okay?"  
  
Tom rolled his head around at the discomfort, trying desperately to resist the urge to rub his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. But Chakotay, be careful."  
  
"I'll do my best." Chakotay ducked low behind the boulder as another energy bolt struck the top, splaying more rock and dust over the two of them.  
  
"Boy, these guys are really serious aren't they?" Tom said, squinting."  
  
"Sure seems that way..."  
  
Chakotay's last sentence was lost in a barrage of intense weapon fire as Gremnet's group got entirely too close from comfort. In the background they could hear shouting and screams as more than one individual was hurt or killed, they didn't know which. Tom pulled in his arms and legs and scrunched down behind the boulder, feeling his way to what he felt would be as safe a spot as any, his thoughts straying to B'Elanna and how mad she would be that he had gone off and gotten himself hurt.  
  
=/\=  
  
They had now been talking for several hours and Janeway was tired, more than she had been in a long time. What at started out as a simple supply mission with the Hakonene was now turning into a mental and physical marathon. It was taxing all her skills and reserves to stay alert and to keep her wits about her in trying to accomplish the seemingly impossible. One wrong move and the game would be over. So, when Jomar finally determined he needed to consider what they had discussed before he could make any final decisions, she was more than grateful.  
  
After the three of them were led back to the common room, she relaxed and took a seat next to B'Elanna at the table. She seemed to have moved little since they had been together before, her head bent over the tricorder and a PADD she had borrowed from Peterson to be able to use the extra memory. A tricorder was great for analyzing information, but the PADD was designed to store and organize large amounts of data. The tricorder alone simply didn't have the power to do both with the vast amount of information B'Elanna had downloaded before they left the Flyer.  
  
"How's it coming along." Janeway inquired.  
  
B'Elanna looked up at her captain, her eyes more than a little bloodshot. "Let's just say it makes for some interesting reading."  
  
"Anything useful yet?" Janeway continued.  
  
"Maybe." B'Elanna hesitated as if in deep thought and then went on. "I've pulled out some bits and pieces of what look to be the captain's person logs. In the official logs it talks about a party of Hakonene being sent to make contact with the Veret. It says they were never heard from again. That led the rest of the Hakonene to believe that the Veret were hostile and that the caverns would need to be taken by force if they were to survive. But this other file says that one final search party was sent to find their lost companions. They searched for some time, but eventually found the original group frozen in the snow. They had simply gotten lost in a surface storm and died of exposure. One of the group leaders, a Hakonene named Milkor, apparently decided that they should keep it to themselves because to tell the others might jeopardize their plans to take over the caverns and they would not survive much longer in the remains of the ship. Their captain was apparently part of that party and states that they swore themselves to secrecy for the good of their people. There's more, but it's highly fragmented and I haven't been able to piece it together. Maybe Seven is having better luck."  
  
At the name of Milkor, Janeway sat up ramrod straight. Was it coincidence that the current Head of State had the same name? She doubted it, especially given the fact that the membership of the Hakonene Ruling Council had largely inherited their titles. Janeway and her crew had also had contact with a good number of Hakonene through their dealings with them, and Milkor was not a common name among them. No, they had only heard it associated with one individual before now. There was little doubt there was some connection.  
  
"Really! I'd say that's highly useful information B'Elanna, good work." Janeway stood from the table, crossed her arms over her chest and began to pace. She did her best thinking this way and seemed to be doing it more often since their encounters with the Hakonene and the Veret. She moved across the floor several times, deep in thought until, finally, her fatigue won out. She simply couldn't wrap her mind around any more information for one day. "Unfortunately, I think we've all had enough for one day, at least I have." She squeezed the bridge of her nose between the thumb and index finger of her right hand as if to prove her point, and then she continued while she still had the energy. "I've also given Jomar a lot to think about, so I doubt I'll be hearing from him for a while. It's likely that he will even take the time to discuss it with some of the others, possibly even Menem. And given the howling of the wind, I suspect we will be spending the night here. There's no way Tom will be coming back for us in this weather. Why don't we all have something to eat and make ourselves as comfortable as possible, we can wrestle with more of this information in the morning."  
  
Before she had the chance to act on her own suggestion, the door to the room swung open with such force that it slammed against the wall and almost popped off its hinges. In the doorway stood Jomar, his expression unreadable. Within seconds he moved aside to reveal two other Veret suspending a very obviously injured Tom Paris between them. They were closely followed by two more Voyager security officers and at least three Hakonene, one of them the Ambassador, the business end of a Veret arrow pointed at his throat. "You have visitors Janeway."  
  
TBC 


	16. Part 16

At Face Value - Part 16  
  
Written - 10/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 16  
  
No one moved for a long moment, all of them in shock, until B'Elanna overcame hers to rush to Tom's side.  
  
She closed the distance in an instant and placed her hands on either side of his face. "My God Tom, what happened?" Touching him, she was instantly concerned with how cold he was. He also had some very obvious injuries to his face. She looked up at the two Veret holding him and pushed them out of the way, ducking under his arm so he could lean on her. Seconds later the Doctor appeared, and taking Tom's other arm, he and B'Elanna maneuvered him toward the closest table so they could help him to sit down.  
  
Tom's voice sounded much the same as Janeway's had several days before when she had been dragged out in the weather. His lips refused to form words properly, everything coming out a little mumbled, but it was understandable nonetheless. "Chakotay and the others are in trouble, we need to help them." Before he even finished getting the words out, B'Elanna and the EMH had him seated on a bench.  
  
Jomar interrupted. "Janeway, I demand to know what this is about!" he shouted. "Why are more of your group here, and with them?" he said, tossing his head in the direction of the Ambassador in disgust. "Is this some kind of trick? Do you mean to force me into agreeing to your proposal, or are you simply in league with them to exterminate us once and for all?"  
  
The Captain moved quickly to him. "I assure you Jomar, I am as surprised by their appearance as you are, and I believe we should discuss whatever has happened as calmly as possible, for everyone's sake, but may I see to the well being of my people first?"  
  
He looked angry and disgruntled, but he indicated his agreement with a wave of his hand. "You may see to them here, but these barbarians will be coming with me."  
  
The Veret guards took every opportunity to intimidate the Hakonene with their weapons as they began to herd them away from the door. "No, wait! I must speak with Captain Janeway!" The Ambassador pushed his way through the group toward the doorway, headless of the danger to himself. As he reached the front, Jomar exploded, grabbing him by the front of his heavy parka and shoving him violently against a nearby wall.  
  
Janeway reacted instinctively and rushed to Jomar's side, clutching at his arm in a futile attempt to pull him away from the Ambassador. "Jomar, stop, please!" she shouted.  
  
The Ambassador's gasps were the only thing that could be heard in the room for the next several seconds as Jomar's emotions fought an internal battle with his judgment. Then, ever so slowly, he gradually released his grip on the Hakonene and backed away. Lukar took a large gulp of air and collapsed to the floor, Janeway dropping to her knees at his side.  
  
The Captain lifted the Ambassador from the floor, resting his back against the wall and then turned to Jomar, looking directly into his dark eyes. "Thank you Jomar. I'm sure the Ambassador meant no harm."  
  
The Ambassador attempted to speak again, this time more of a struggle as he tried to shake off the effects of being slammed against the wall. "Captain, we came here to escape Gremnet and his guards. They attacked us in the caverns. They've taken the rest of my people captive, Commander Chakotay and several of your officers with them."  
  
Janeway let go of him and backed away as if she had been struck hard in the face. "What?"  
  
Tom heard the concern and shock in her voice even though he could not see her reaction. He was well aware that she knew nothing of what had transpired since she had decided to stay behind on the planet with the Veret. "Captain, it's a long story, but what you really need to know is that the Ambassador contacted Voyager for help just as the rest of us were arriving back on the ship from dropping you here. Chakotay decided we should meet him to discuss their situation and shortly after we arrived we were attacked by a group of Gremnet's security guards. We were seriously outnumbered and Chakotay ordered several of us out of there to find you and bring back help. Unfortunately, we were chased from the caverns and had no time to even attempt to make it into the Flyer. Even if we had, I'm not sure I would have had been able to enter the security code much less fly it. I can't see a thing." Tom took a breath and grimaced as the Doctor began treating his wounds and B'Elanna drew him closer to her side.  
  
Janeway stared at him in disbelief until the Ambassador began to speak and she turned back toward him. "Even in the face of the storm, we knew we had no choice but to attempt to make it here. We clasped our arms together and stayed as low to the ground as possible and fought our way through the snow and wind. If not for your officers and their devices to tell us the direction, and the fact that the wind eventually died down, we would most assuredly have been completely lost."  
  
Now paying closer attention to the Ambassador and some of the others she acknowledged just how frozen they all were. Most were dripping from the caked snow and ice beginning to melt from the surface of their parkas and many were noticeably pale, ice crystals affixed to their hair and eyebrows where they had not been protected by their hoods. She reached up, placing her right hand against the side of the Ambassador's face in much the same manner that B'Elanna had with Tom moments before and was alarmed at the coolness of his skin.  
  
"Jomar, these men are freezing and several of them are injured. We should attend to their needs. Once they are settled we can discuss what has happened in detail. It appears that more of my people are in danger along with some of the Hakonene that we have been dealing with. I am as concerned for their welfare as you are to know what this is all about. I would very much like for us to sort this out together. Are you willing?"  
  
Jomar didn't hesitate for a second. "Very well Janeway, unlike the Hakonene, we show compassion for our enemies." he said, leering at the Ambassador. "I will send for one of our healers to assist your Doctor, we are quite experienced in dealing with our own people who have been exposed to the elements. You may stay here until you are ready to talk, but you will be guarded at all times. I will not leave you alone with them until I know I can trust you in this."  
  
"I understand." she said as she watched him turn and stomp out of the room.  
  
True to his word, Jomar sent the woman, who they now knew as Sholu, into the room to assist with the injured. Peterson moved over and assisted the Captain in lifting the Ambassador from the floor and moving him to sit at the same table with Tom so they could all talk while they were treated.  
  
Once they had the Ambassador settled, Janeway checked on the condition of her officers one at a time ending back at the table to check on Tom who was obviously the most seriously injured. When she reached him, the Doctor and B'Elanna were in the process of maneuvering him onto the top of the table and lying him down. Moving to stand on the opposite side of the table from B'Elanna, she reached up and rested a comforting hand on his arm. "How are you doing Tom?"  
  
"Ok I guess. How's everybody else?"  
  
"Some minor injuries, and everyone is more than a little frozen, but they'll be fine, although one of the Hakonene seems to have been shot in the arm. I'll have the Doctor take a look at him after he's finished with you." She squeezed his arm lightly in an attempt to reassure him.  
  
The Doctor stepped up to the head of the table with a pitcher of water and several pieces of cloth in his hands. "Ensign, I'm about to rinse out your eyes, this may sting a little."  
  
"Go ahead Doc. I can't wait to have this stuff out of my eyes. It's been driving me crazy."  
  
"I can imagine." The Doctor said as he carefully lifted one eyelid and rinsed the offending particles from Tom's eyes.  
  
=/\=  
  
The remaining senior officers on Voyager, of which there were decidedly few in number, were beginning to become concerned, Tuvok in particular, at least as concerned as any self respecting Vulcan would allow. There had been no word from either away team in some time and the tactical officer was running several possible scenarios through his mind working on making a decision when Seven of Nine provided an update on the weather.  
  
"Commander Tuvok, I believe you wanted me to keep you informed of the weather conditions on the planet?" she said, the words conveying apprehension, but the tone clearly indicating it was not a question. Before he had a chance to respond, she continued, "Sensors indicate that the weather has improved considerably. I believe it would now be safe to send an away team to the surface."  
  
Tuvok lightly tapped several controls on the panel beside him where he sat in the Captain's seat on the bridge. The display presented him with the identical information that Seven had just indicated. He observed the details for himself for several seconds, the information helping him to make a final decision on a course of action. Sitting upright he turned his head toward Harry Kim at the operations station. "Ensign Kim, please organize an away team to retrieve Captain Janeway and her team from the Veret settlement. Tell them to relay to her that there is a situation on Voyager that requires her immediate attention."  
  
"Aye Sir." Harry replied anxiously. He had been waiting for word from Tuvok to do something, anything in fact. The wait for the weather and for Voyager's current commanding officer to come to a course of action had been intensely nerve wracking. In truth, Harry had been very concerned for his friends, who were quite possibly in harms way. Now that they were doing something about it he felt considerably better, if for no other reason than he was at least distracted from his thoughts.  
  
Having provided Tuvok with a timely update of the weather conditions, Seven now went back to work analyzing the information they had obtained from the Hakonene ship. Where B'Elanna had little choice but to let the tricorder process the easily translated information and delve into the encrypted information herself, Seven, having the benefit of Voyager's powerful computer and it's associated database, was allowing it to do the hard work and was examining the information that the other members of their away team had found on the ship.  
  
What Vorik and Jenkins had found was a completely intact and unencrypted database contacting a detailed journal of the Hakonene from the time of their departure from their home world right up to several weeks after they had landed on this planet. It was written by someone who obviously was in a position of some authority within the group, the most interesting excerpts being the most recent. Seven knew this to be highly valuable information which the Captain would be most interested in. Knowing that she would return soon, she went about summarizing the important aspects of the journal into a sort of timeline of critical events, focusing on the last several entries.  
  
Of particular interest was the fact that the entries seemed to end rather abruptly. For such a detailed account to become almost cryptic and then completely silent was at the least puzzling and she looked forward to what she knew would be a highly engaging conversation with Captain Janeway upon her return.  
  
=/\=  
  
The weather had improved dramatically, so much so that the team on the shuttle was having difficulty maintaining an approach vector to the settlement that would keep them from being detected. Of course there was one distinct advantage. Communications were the best they had been since they had come to this planet and they were about to put it to good use. Utilizing the communication protocol they had established during Janeway's first voluntary visit to the settlement, the team on the shuttle attempted to make contact with her.  
  
Less than a second after the signal was sent, Kathryn Janeway felt a slight vibration in her comm badge. She was currently engaged in a conversation with the Ambassador, B'Elanna and Tom, the two men relaying the details of their experience with the Hakonene security force. The Doctor had successfully treated Tom's eyes and his facial wounds for the time being, although he had given him strict instruction to report directly to sickbay upon their return to the ship.  
  
They had largely completed bringing her up to speed when B'Elanna noticed the change in the Captain's expression and called her on it. "Captain, is everything alright?"  
  
Speaking softly so as not to raise any suspicion with the Veret guards, she replied, "Voyager is attempting to contact me. Tom, can you and the Ambassador create a diversion while B'Elanna and I move away where I can reply to this hail? I'll need you to speak rather loudly to draw their attention and to prevent them from hearing me. B'Elanna and I will make it look as though we're having a separate conversation."  
  
"Understood Captain." said Tom.  
  
B'Elanna and the Captain slowly rose from the table where they had been sitting and made their way to a back corner of the room. As soon as Janeway had her back to the Veret guards, she tapped her comm badge. "Janeway here go ahead, but keep your voice low, we are not alone."  
  
The reply was crisp yet quiet. "Aye Captain. Vorik here. We've been sent to retrieve you. Commander Tuvok requires your return to the ship."  
  
All of them noticed when the howling of the wind had ceased. It was shortly before Tom and his group had stumbled into their midst. Since then, Janeway had wondered how long it would be before someone came to bring them back to the ship. Given the circumstances that Tom and Chakotay had encountered, she now wondered just how much Tuvok was aware of. She surmised it probably wasn't much, at least not yet. But she also knew that wouldn't last for long. Situations such as these rarely resolved themselves without a certain degree of angst. She suspected it was highly likely that Gremnet and Milkor would attempt to use Chakotay and the others as bargaining chips in a dangerous game. The very thought made her shiver, her involuntary reaction attributed in no small way to a certain amount of fear and guilt.  
  
Shaking off her apprehension, she concentrated on the business at hand. "I'll need some time to make the arrangements. We're not currently in a position where we can leave easily. Keep the comm channel open and I will contact you directly when we are ready to leave."  
  
Vorik replied quietly "Aye Captain." and then the channel went silent.  
  
"B'Elanna, I need you to bring the Ambassador over here to talk to me and then take his place with Tom. Keep up the diversion until we join you."  
  
B'Elanna nodded and then proceeded to do as asked, smoothly trading places with the Ambassador who made his way to Janeway and leaned against the wall.  
  
"What is it Captain?"  
  
"I had left instructions for my crew to come back for us as soon as the weather improved. That time has come, and given what has happened since we arrived here, it could not have happened at a more opportune time. The only complication is you and the other Hakonene with you. I need to speak to Jomar of course, but I'm fairly certain that I can convince him to allow me and my officers to leave, at least most of us. Unfortunately, I am equally as certain that he will require all of you to stay. I believe I can use this situation to all of our advantage, but you must trust me, are you willing to follow my lead?"  
  
Lukar looked intently at her. "Do I have a choice?"  
  
Her lips cocked in an awkward smile. "No, I suppose you don't. One thing you must know. Jomar and his people are desperate, but they are not cruel. I am convinced you will not be harmed if you don't provoke him. I have a plan, but in order for it to be successful, Jomar must see that you and your group behave differently than what they have previously been exposed to. It won't be easy, but it is necessary."  
  
The Ambassador looked tired but determined as he pulled himself upright. "Very well Captain, I will do my best, and I trust you will do nothing less."  
  
Janeway recognized that his words were not a challenge, only a confirmation of something he knew her well enough to be certain of. She looked up at him and reassured him. "You can count on it. Let's go." Lightly grasping his elbow, she moved both of them toward the guards, the rest of the occupants of the room growing quiet as the walked. Janeway released his elbow and made her way forward until she was standing toe to toe with one of the guards. "I wish to speak to Jomar. Can you please contact him and relay that message?"  
  
The guard towered over her but nodded his head and turned and left the room. Jomar must have given them prior instructions for the request to be accepted so easily. Within two minutes of the guard's departure, Jomar could be seen approaching through the open doorway. He stopped to stand in the door as his guards moved out of his way leaving a clear path into the room. "What is it Janeway?" he said, his tone guarded but direct.  
  
"The Ambassador and I wish to speak with you Jomar. It is time we explained what has happened." She kept her tone as even as she could, forcing herself to fight her nature. Right now she was not the one in total control of the situation and displaying her usual commanding persona in a case like this could lead to disaster.  
  
Jomar made eye contact with each of them in turn, searching for confirmation that there was nothing threatening about her request and realizing that she was placing a new level of trust in him. She was willing to talk to him, with this Hakonene, alone, knowing full well his hatred could be dangerous to both of them without the others to protect them. "Very well, I will listen. Come with me."  
  
Falling back into a little of his previous behavior, he grasped her by the wrist, albeit lightly this time, and led the two of them to his chamber.  
  
TBC 


	17. Part 17

At Face Value - Part 17  
  
Written - 10/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 17  
  
The meeting began much the same way as her very first meeting with him had. Three large mugs were dropped to the surface of the table and were rapidly, and rather sloppily, filled with dark ale from a large pitcher. Once they all had something to drink, Jomar lowered himself into a chair opposite Janeway and Lukar. "Well Janeway, you said we needed to talk, then talk while I am still listening."  
  
He had made his point even though he had said very little. It was clear he was giving her a chance to explain the current situation and she knew that she would need to make the most of this opportunity or she would likely not get the chance again.  
  
She took one of the mugs in her hands and seriously contemplated draining it before she began this conversation. In the frame of mind she was in right now, she could almost convince herself it was purely medicinal, for the nagging headache that had begun as soon as she discovered some of her people were in trouble. Instead she settled for a small sip and tried imagine it to be a large cup of coffee. "Jomar, I told you we had made contact with the Hakonene again and that we thought it might be possible for your people and theirs to find peace. Ambassador Lukar and several other high ranking officials have discovered some things about your mutual history that have caused them to doubt some of the things they had been told about the Veret by their ancestors."  
  
"Captain Janeway is right Jomar. While we have not..."  
  
"Silence!" Jomar shouted, slamming his mug to the table so hard the dark brew inside began to bubble and foam it's way over the lip if the mug. "Do not assume that because you are sitting at my table and not chained to my wall that I have changed my mind about you being anything but my enemy. You are here for no other reason than Janeway and those with her have shown us kindness and respect. The fact that they have been dealing with you places even my trust in her in peril."  
  
As he said this he turned toward her and fixed his dark eyes on hers. She held his gaze as a sign of her understanding as she began to respond. "I understand how complicated and confusing this situation is at the moment. I also know that I am asking you to place a great deal more faith in me than I may have earned in your eyes to this point. But in the interests of your people, please allow the Ambassador to speak. I honestly believe some of what we have to tell you will have much more meaning if you hear it from him directly. That will also allow you to judge his sincerity for yourself, much as you did with me when we began our relationship."  
  
The immense alien leaned forward and rested his weight on his arms on the table stretching his face toward the Ambassador. "Very well, I will let him speak. But be very careful not to try my limited patience."  
  
Lukar swallowed hard. One purposeful swipe of the Veret's massive hand and he'd be nothing but another war casualty, something he nor his people could afford. "Thank you Jomar. I understand your anger and I appreciate your restraint. I sincerely hope you will give me the same opportunity to earn your trust that you gave Captain Janeway." He waited for a few seconds gauging Jomar's response and was rewarded with nothing but silence. With a small sigh of relief as the Veret leader leaned back in his chair, he continued, "As I was saying, while we have not had the time to examine all the information we have gathered, I believe some of our ancestors may have done a great disservice to the Veret and we would like to correct that."  
  
Jomar sat upright in his chair and appeared highly interested in what was being said. "Go on."  
  
"Unfortunately when we began to discuss this with some of the others on the Ruling Council, the idea was not well received by all, and as a result, several of us were taken into custody and held against our will. When we managed to escape, we attempted to contact Captain Janeway for help not knowing she was here. When several of her crew came to assist us, we were attacked. Only a few of us were able to escape and we came here knowing it was our only chance. You know the rest of the story."  
  
Jomar took a long slow swallow from his mug, capturing Janeway's eyes again over the rim as he did so. This was an interesting revelation in more ways than one. But one thing in particular stood out in his mind. The fact that the Ambassador and at least some of the Hakonene also seemed to have a great deal of faith in this diminutive female told him a great deal about the level of influence she had managed to earn with both the Hakonene and the Veret in what seemed to be a short period of time. For the first time he allowed himself to feel that the peace she had been suggesting just might be possible as long as she was willing to act as an intermediary. This was truly a remarkable woman. Maintaining eye contact with her, he continued speaking to the third person in the room. "Tell me Ambassador, why would you want peace with us? Even if you believe we may have been mistreated by your ancestors as you say, why would you even consider peace when you can simply continue to fight us? Wouldn't it be only a matter of time before you had eliminated us as a threat?"  
  
It was a fair question and the Ambassador knew it. "Possibly, if we were at our best, but the fact of the matter is we are not at our best. In truth Jomar, your attacks have severely damaged our defenses, and we lack the ability to repair them anymore. That is why we had been working with Captain Janeway. We established a trade relationship with them in the hopes that they could help us rebuild our defenses and possibly improve our weapons. They have steadfastly maintained the same stance on that issue and have not been willing to assist us in that way. Therefore many of us believe that it would only be a matter of time before the fight moved to the caverns themselves and placed our civilian population, and especially our women and children, in danger. Because of that we determined we needed to look into other alternatives before that happened. The possibility that we had not been told the truth about the Veret only added to our desire to find another solution to our problems. Unfortunately, we were prevented by doing so by the actions of the Head of State and the Minister of Security. It is our hope that we can find a way to remove them from power before it is too late for all of us."  
  
Janeway watched as Jomar slowly stood and moved toward the fireplace. Once there, he rested his arm against the mantle and stared into the flames. It was a behavior she was familiar with and one that told her the Ambassador had done well. Jomar was very obviously considering what had been said and from her experience with him that was a good sign.  
  
She and the Ambassador were about to find out that her hunch was right. The Ambassador's last statement had made more of an impact that either of them could have hoped for, both in words and in tone. The Ambassador's voice had become more and more fervent as he spoke, and it conveyed his sincerity to Jomar in a way that nothing else could have.  
  
Lukar had candidly admitted that the Hakonene were much more vulnerable than Jomar thought. In the same breath he had identified that Janeway had refused to assist them in their fight against the Veret. That statement went a long way in reassuring Jomar that he could indeed trust her, something that only a moment before he was no longer certain of.  
  
Last but not least, Lukar's obvious concern for the safety of his people struck very close to Jomar's own heart. It occurred to him that, while there was still much more to learn before he was willing to follow through with any possibility of peace, the three individuals in the room now were more alike than he would have guessed and there was a chance that what Janeway had proposed could be worked out. This Hakonene was a leader of his people. One that was willing to risk all for what he believed was right. Jomar determined to give him the chance he had requested. Janeway had come into his life under suspicious circumstances but had proven herself worthy. Maybe this Hakonene could as well.  
  
When Janeway saw Jomar walk back toward the table after several long minutes of quite contemplation, the look on his face told her all she needed to know and she smiled broadly, nodding her head at the Ambassador.  
  
=/\=  
  
Kathryn Janeway entered the bridge of her ship to find Tuvok sitting in her command chair talking to an obviously agitated Minister Gremnet over the view screen. She made her way rapidly down the stairs to the command level from the turbolift, shedding her heavy parka and tossing it over the forward railing as she did so.  
  
"Minister, as you can see, Captain Janeway has just returned to the ship. I would request a moment to confer with her before continuing this conversation."  
  
Gremnet was pacing back and forth, waving his arms, perspiring heavily, and in no mood to wait for anything. "No! No more delays. We will deal with this here and now!" he exclaimed.  
  
B'Elanna had followed the Captain to the bridge and was now standing beside Harry at the operations station where she could be in the center of the action. She was desperately worried about Chakotay and Minister Gremnet's behavior wasn't making her feel any better.  
  
Harry placed a hand on her shoulder. "How's Tom?" he asked, keeping his voice low.  
  
"He'll be okay. The Doctor took care of the worst of it down on the planet but insisted he report to sickbay when we got back. I'm sure he'll be up here soon."  
  
There was more than a hint of agitation in her voice and Harry assumed it to be due to the uncertainty over Chakotay. He said nothing more and the two of them turned their attention to the view screen.  
  
Janeway made brief eye contact with Tuvok as he stood and moved to greet her. She laid her parka across the railing, never slowing her stride as she made her way to his side. Once there, the two of them turned toward the view screen, Tuvok assuming Chakotay's normal position just over her left shoulder.  
  
"The Minister is highly agitated and equally impatient. He has made several threats against the hostages." Tuvok said softly.  
  
"How serious is he?" Janeway said, crossing her arms over her chest, never taking her eyes from the screen, but inclining her head ever so slightly to her left to pick up his response.  
  
"Very serious."  
  
As if to prove the point, Gremnet shouted at her. "Captain, you're Mister Tuvok has refused to provide me with what I have asked for in return for your officers, and to make matters worse, you are obviously not paying attention. I regret I must take other steps to convince you of my sincerity in this matter."  
  
With that statement, the Minister moved to his right, motioning to someone just out of view. Seconds later they were looking at an image of what appeared to be a prison or detention area of some kind. A series of cells could be seen, roughly hewn from the rock of the cavern walls, all arranged in a rough circle around a larger central area. Alone in the center stood someone in a red-shouldered Starfleet uniform, hands bound behind his back and a blindfold covering his eyes.  
  
Janeway's heart skipped a beat at the same time that B'Elanna's did, both of them knowing exactly who the officer was even without the benefit of a closer view.  
  
B'Elanna looked up into Harry's eyes, both of them silently acknowledging their understanding of what was likely to happen next. She turned her eyes back to the view screen to watch the situation unfold with her heart in her throat.  
  
Harry could tell by the look he had seen in B'Elanna's eyes that she was in turmoil, her training and experience the only things keeping her temper in check. But with the way things had been going for her in her life over the last few months, he doubted she would be able to maintain her composure for long. Chakotay was the closest thing she had to a brother and she was nothing short of fierce when it came to protecting those she cared about. If it had been Tom, he had no doubt that she would have already reacted.  
  
Before their very eyes, a Hakonene security guard came forward, raising some type of stick in is hands, and seconds later brought it down heavily across Chakotay's back.  
  
"No, stop..." B'Elanna shouted as she pushed herself away from Harry who had made a futile attempt to hold her when he heard her exclamation. She was down the stairs and moving toward the Captain in seconds, Tuvok grabbing and restraining her before she got to the center of the command area.  
  
They continued to watch in horror, momentarily dumbfounded, as the transmission continued. Startled by the blow, Chakotay turned in an attempt to defend himself from his attacker, knowing there was little he could do. He took two brutal hits to his back and shoulders and amazingly remained on his feet only to have his assailant hit him squarely across his right knee, the final blow bringing him down in a heap to the ground.  
  
Janeway wanted nothing more than to be able to leap through the screen, find Gremnet and strangle him with her bare hands. As she continued to watch, the guard ceased his onslaught and he and another guard dragged Chakotay back to one of the cells.  
  
B'Elanna continued unsuccessfully to find a way past Tuvok. "Captain, we have to stop this... do something... anything."  
  
"Lieutenant, stand down." she said softly, never taking her eyes from the screen.  
  
B'Elanna was still vehement, her voice piercing. "But we can't just stand by..."  
  
This time Janeway turned and approached her junior officer signaling for Tuvok to let her go. The tone of voice did not change, but the intensity of the words was clear. "Lieutenant, I said stand down or I will have you removed from the bridge. Is that understood?"  
  
In B'Elanna's mind, it wasn't so much what Janeway said as it was the look in her eyes that convinced her she should comply, and with great haste. She had reacted instinctively to seeing her friend hurt, and it was an instinct she thought she had learned to control years ago. She immediately recognized that her outburst was more in keeping with the Maquis freedom fighter she had been when she boarded Voyager than the competent senior officer she had become since then. Unfortunately, over the last few months she had been much more like that turbulent, undisciplined Maquis than the trusted officer she had been given the chance to develop into. It was the woman before her who had given her that chance and who needed her to be in control now, whether she agreed with the Captain's actions or not. Looking deeply into Janeway's eyes, she did as commanded. "Aye Captain, my apologies." she said, but with more than a little venom still evident in her voice.  
  
Janeway's expression softened ever so slightly, she then unfolded her arms, turned and moved forward to where she could lean heavily against the forward railing, lowering her chin to her chest in an attempt to rein in her own emotions. Now was not the time to lose her composure. When she returned her attention to the screen only seconds later, Gremnet's sneering face was again filling the view screen. When she spoke this time, her voice was low and dangerous. It was a timbre that her bridge officers knew well. "Minister." she said in abject contempt. "You will find that I do not respond well to threats."  
  
"I'd say that was more than just a threat Captain, or weren't you paying attention? Perhaps I should give you another demonstration of my sincerity." He turned away as if to give and order to a nearby guard when Janeway interrupted him.  
  
"Gremnet, you will find that I can not be coerced into complying with whatever demands you are making under any circumstances. I insist that you allow me to see Commander Chakotay immediately. Furthermore, you will not harm anyone else and you will release everyone that you are holding captive."  
  
As she finished saying this, the turbolift doors opened with a swish to reveal Tom and the Doctor. Both of them moved forward to the upper railing and stopped.  
  
"Captain, I am not inclined to pay any intention to your request. You are not the one in charge here. Particularly when I know you have been consorting with our enemies. I will give you some time to think about this. I'm sure your Commander Tuvok can provide you with the details of our discussion prior to you return. You will be hearing from us again soon. I suggest you think quickly."  
  
With that the screen went blank leaving the bridge in an uncomfortable silence.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay made his way slowly across the dirt floor toward a small cot in the corner by dragging himself on his hands and elbows, his right leg trailing uselessly behind him. He was certain that the knee was dislocated and possibly broken. There was no way that he would be able to walk unless and until he received medical attention.  
  
On top of that, he was in a great deal of pain from the blows he had taken to his back and shoulders. It would not have surprised him if something was broken there as well, there was simply no way to be sure.  
  
The other members of the away team were in nearby cells, all of them sharing their space with other prisoners. Most of the occupants were Hakonene that had been captured in the caverns with them, but there were a handful of Veret, all of them in bad shape, more than one apparently near death. Chakotay seemed to be the only one being kept in a cell by himself. They all watched him struggle to the cot and carefully pull himself onto it, stifling as well as he could any indication of just how much pain he was in. When he finally achieved his goal, he was propped against the wall at the head of the cot, his injured leg lying in front of him, his right foot at an unnatural angle.  
  
"Commander, are you alright?" one of the security officers in the next cell asked as he carried a ladle full of water from a barrel in the corner of his cell and threaded it carefully through the heavy wooden poles that served as bars separating these two cells from each other.  
  
The Commander took a long slow drink in silence.  
  
"Why did they do that do you? What are they trying to do?" the officer continued.  
  
After handing the now empty ladle back through the bars, Chakotay rested his back against the cool stone of the wall behind him. When they had taken him from the cell in the first place, he had been moved into the center of the room. Just before they placed the blindfold over his eyes, he noticed what appeared to be a video console high on the cavern wall in front of him. "It appears they were placing me on display. In my experience, something like this would lead me to believe they are demanding something in return for our release and used this little demonstration to communicate their sincerity."  
  
His thoughts wandered to the possible recipient of such a display and there was only one answer, Voyager, and most likely Kathryn. For their sake, he sincerely hoped that she was back on Voyager, safe and sound, and in command. Tuvok was a capable officer, but they all knew none of them could ever hope to match the unique combination of skills, instincts, compassion and luck that their captain brought to the job.  
  
Unfortunately, if she had indeed witnessed such a transmission, he knew what it would cost her. He knew her too well after all these years. It would be an intensely painful emotional experience and she would not have the ability to display what she felt in front of the crew. She would be the strong and able captain she had always been, but one small part of her would die inside from the guilt she would place on herself for not having been able to prevent the entire situation from happening in the first place. It might not be rational, but it was simply part of who she was. Another question from the officer pulled him back to reality.  
  
"Commander, do you think Captain Janeway will be able to get us out of this?"  
  
Chakotay smiled and tried to make himself more comfortable on the cot but to no avail. "Of that Ensign I have no doubt."  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway drew a deep breath. "Commander, I want the senior staff in the briefing room in five minutes, understood?" It wasn't really a question.  
  
"Aye Captain." Tuvok turned and went about following her order as she turned and made her way to her ready room. She needed a moment or two to herself.  
  
Janeway stepped through the doors of the ready room and proceeded to her desk as the doors swished closed behind her. Her steps slowed and became considerably less purposeful as she closed the distance to her destination. She stood upright for only a moment and then leaned forward, heavily placing her palms flat on the top of the desk. Breathing deeply, she rotated her head in a slow circle and then from side to side toward each shoulder in a vain attempt to stretch the tension from the muscles in her neck.  
  
Coffee, she needed coffee. She did her best thinking with a strong dose or two of caffeine in her blood. She stood and made her way to the replicator which quickly responded her request. She raised the mug to her lips, sighed, and made her way to stand in front of the view port and stare at the planet below. The coffee tasted less than satisfying as she took another sip. Maybe right now she would prefer not to think. The image of her first officer and best friend being pummeled before her very eyes was all she could focus on and it brought uncontrollable and unwanted moisture to her eyes before she could wrestle her emotions back under control.  
  
When the door chime sounded only seconds later, she was still standing in that same position, feet set shoulder width apart as if the position would prevent her from falling over, her arms folded across her upper body. Thoroughly expecting the visitor to be Tuvok, she gave the command to enter.  
  
B'Elanna had waited for Tuvok to spread the word to all concerned about the meeting in the briefing room and had discreetly snuck by him toward the ready room at her first opportunity. Now she stood inside the captain's sanctuary and from her vantage point she could clearly see Janeway's reflection in the viewport. What she saw there surprised her and she found herself feeling like an intruder. "Ah, I'm sorry Captain, I didn't mean to interrupt, I just thought..."  
  
Janeway turned quickly toward her visitor, possibly too quickly, and reacted before she had a chance to think through what she would say. "You thought what Lieutenant? That maybe you could take this opportunity to let me know just how unhappy you are with the way I handled that situation. That you could clearly point out that I could have done something to stop what happened to my first officer. Might I suggest that you instead take this opportunity to get yourself under control so that you can properly function as a member of my senior staff?"  
  
The Captain's tone had been quiet and dangerous, much the same as it had been earlier on the bridge. B'Elanna would have found it easier to know how to respond if Janeway had yelled at the top of her lungs. It made what she had to say a bit more difficult as she found her temper attempting to rise to the surface, but she was here now, and while what the Captain had just said hurt, she had brought it upon herself, and it was the reason she had come here in the first place.  
  
B'Elanna looked at the floor. "Actually Captain, I came to apologize for my outburst out there. I realize I acted badly." Lifting her eyes to meet her captain's she continued, "I can see now... well... let's just say that I know that was difficult for all of us and I wanted you to know that I will do anything in my power to help you get Chakotay and the others back. That includes stuffing my bad attitude in a Jeffries tube if necessary. I'm sorry if I made things more difficult for you."  
  
Kathryn Janeway's hard edged yet somewhat watery expression melted. Unfolding her arms, she blinked heavily and then stepped slowly forward and down the short staircase until she was facing her chief engineer. "Thank you B'Elanna. I appreciate your coming to tell me that. And I apologize for my reaction as well. Let's just say you caught me at a bad time."  
  
The two women smiled awkwardly at each other and then Janeway reached out her hand to place it on B'Elanna's shoulder turning her toward the door. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."  
  
=/\=  
  
Milkor was beside himself. "What ever possessed you to take this course of action?" His voice could be heard several meters down the long and narrow tunnel that led to the detention center in a deep cavern far below the administration building.  
  
"With all due respect, I was getting tired of your indecision. We needed action, swift action, to prove our seriousness to Janeway and her people!" Gremnet was facing down the Head of State as never before. He was a man of action, and he felt his personal experience dealing with the Veret made him uniquely qualified to handle this situation now. He couldn't stand by and watch the rest of the Ruling Council continue to discuss their silly and meaningless diplomatic options. Strength, power and intimidation were called for here. After all, it had worked with the Veret for years, or at least it had until recently.  
  
"Gremnet, we know nothing of how many Janeway has in her crew, or how powerful their technology is beyond the little we have seen. Did it ever occur to you that they might very well be able to come down here and overrun us if they chose to? You've managed to jeopardize our entire plan by your impatience. We have no choice but to alter our course of action now and hope that Janeway is either powerless enough or fearful enough not to take immediate revenge for your actions and destroy our entire civilization. There will be no more violence until I say otherwise, is that clear!"  
  
Gremnet had few guards with him in the Ruling Council chamber or he might have taken further aggressive and decisive action, this time against Milkor and the rest of the Council. Why didn't they see what he did? Why couldn't they understand that this was the only way? He would bide his time until the appropriate moment and then he would strike. To him there was nothing more important than maintaining their way of life, and at all cost.  
  
TBC 


	18. Part 18

At Face Value - Part 18  
  
Written - 12/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 18  
  
The Captain and the senior staff had been in conference for over an hour. The first item of business was the Doctor's assessment of Chakotay's probable physical condition. The Doctor's report was brutally honest, but not devastating. He was fairly certain that while the Commander was most likely in considerable pain, and had sustained a severe injury to his leg, the majority of the blows had appeared to strike him where they would not cause any life threatening injuries. It was little comfort to the others in the room, particularly B'Elanna and the Captain, but it meant that they had some time to plan their response instead of rushing headlong into a rescue mission. Of course all that was highly dependent on Gremnet leaving Chakotay and the others alone for a while.  
  
The remainder of the meeting so far had been taken up with all parties filling each other in on the details of their various experiences. Seven had given them a brief but informative discussion of the information they had gleaned from the Hakonene journal so far and B'Elanna had been able to identify more information from the previously encrypted log entries.  
  
Janeway herself had relayed to all the status of the possible peace treaty between the Hakonene and the Veret. Lukar's impassioned plea to Jomar had ultimately secured the safe departure of the Voyager crew from the settlement on the promise that they would return as soon as possible after they had clarified the situation with the captives and when they had determined a course of action. In the meantime, Jomar and the Ambassador would discuss the possibility of a future lived in harmony in the caverns.  
  
Tom had just completed his contribution to the discussion by providing all of them with the details of the away mission and what had transpired that resulted in most of the fugitive Hakonene and several of Voyager's team being taken captive.  
  
"Alright, there's one more piece of information that might be useful. Tuvok, you've spent the most time with Minister Gremnet since we met the Hakonene, can you provide any insight into his personality? What do you think we can expect from him?" Janeway asked, not sure she really wanted to hear the answer.  
  
Tuvok sat back in his chair and laced his fingers over his stomach. It was a gesture that Janeway identified as oddly human and somewhat out of character for him. "I do not believe I can provide any information that would prove useful in this situation Captain. I had very little contact with him after our initial meeting when we first arrived here. He was very direct and focused on his duty when I met with him. He simply outlined their requirements for our dealings with the Hakonene and left the discussion of the details to his subordinates. But it may be useful to mention that I found some of the Hakonene security protocols I was able to observe to be relatively effective but also relatively haphazard and unorganized. There seems to be no overall defensive plan or strategy, simply an accumulation of misaligned capability. As it is impossible to know how long he has been in his current position, I can't accurately determine if this situation is totally the result of his actions or that of his predecessors, but with no other information I can only assume that these were largely directed or authorized by Gremnet. All of this leads me to the conclusion that his very nature may be as thoroughly unpredictable and spontaneous as demonstrated to us earlier. I'm sorry I can not tell you any more about him specifically."  
  
Janeway was not surprised at this response but was somewhat disappointed nonetheless. She had also had very little contact with Gremnet. While she was instinctively wary of him from the first, she did not have enough exposure to provide her with any idea of a behavior pattern, normal or otherwise. "Well then, we'll just have to assume he is capable of the worst."  
  
Tuvok completed supported her comment with one final sentence. "That would be a wise course of action Captain."  
  
Janeway smiled wryly, "Thank you Tuvok, I'm glad we agree." Then she pressed her hands on the top of the table and used them to force herself to her feet. She felt drained. The intellectual marathon she had been running was exhausting her physically as well as mentally, but she couldn't let up now. Not when they were reaching what she felt to be the climax of this entire affair, and especially not when Chakotay and the others needed her to be at her best.  
  
The Hakonene had added a level of complexity when they got their hands on her first officer and several of his team. But that level of complexity also increased her determination to bring the situation with the Hakonene and the Veret to a rapid conclusion. In an odd irony, she honestly felt that Gremnet and Milkor's actions had improved the probability of that success. It would have been much more difficult to bring the two sides together if not for their ill-conceived, hostile takeover of the Council.  
  
The information that B'Elanna and Seven had obtained from the Hakonene ship's logs clearly conveyed how they had arrived here and what had transpired to place them in control of the caverns, at least initially. It also made it more than obvious that most Hakonene were oblivious to the actions of their ancestral leaders. Janeway also suspected that the recent takeover of the Council was more than likely still a well kept secret. Solving one of their most difficult problems would largely be dependent on gaining the allegiance of the general population and demanding the dismissal of those that had kept the truth from them. It would be a difficult task, but not an impossible one, and the information they now had in their possession would help, as long as they could come up with an appropriate way to use it.  
  
"As I see it, we have a number of problems to solve. First, we need to get the Flyer back. That should be fairly simple once we perform a little reconnaissance of the area and will more than likely prove of critical importance to the rest of our agenda. Although I'm not exactly sure how we can use her yet, I know I want the Flyer and her capabilities at our disposal. Next, we need to locate and retrieve the captives by any means available to us. Finally, we need to find a way to return power to the Ambassador and those on the Ruling Council who will be sympathetic to the cause of peace."  
  
As she continued to make her way around the room, the momentary silence became more than a little uncomfortable for Tom Paris. "Captain, I'll be happy to go after the Flyer. I'd like to suggest that Harry and I take another pilot and a small security team to man the weapons in one of the smaller shuttles. We could fly over, maintain a close proximity to the Flyer, and Harry and I could beam directly inside. I think we could be down there and back within the hour."  
  
The Captain continued her stroll until she was between Harry and Tom who were seated side by side. "I like it Ensign, the two of you are dismissed. I'll expect both of you to report directly to the bridge when you return."  
  
"Yes Ma'am." said Harry as he and Tom sprang to their feet and were off before another word was uttered.  
  
She continued around the table again until she had made a complete circle and "I suggest the rest of us get to work on problems two and three. I don't know how much time we have before my friend Gremnet will be hailing again."  
  
=/\=  
  
The Captain was still pacing when they received a message from Tom that they were on their way to retrieve the Flyer. Within seconds they also received a message from the operations officer on duty that there was a hail from Milkor. Janeway's heart skipped a beat or two. "Put it through to the briefing room Ensign."  
  
When Milkor's face filled the screen on the wall, Janeway stepped up to a position where she could be clearly visible to him. "Councilor Milkor, if you have contacted me to issue more threats I suggest you save your breath."  
  
"I can appreciate your irritation Captain, but you must understand that your team was apprehended while consorting with traitors and after acting aggressively toward Hakonene citizens. We take such matters very seriously." he said, his tone curiously conciliatory.  
  
Janeway placed her hands on her hips and moved forward on the command deck toward the view screen as she replied. "And I tend to take wanton brutality against members of my crew very seriously. There is no excuse for the display we witnessed earlier."  
  
Milkor was sitting at a desk and communicating over a private view screen in the large office they had been in recently and that seemed to serve as the Council chamber. No one else could be seen in the room with him, but Janeway instinctively knew he was not alone. "Captain, Captain, I will admit that Gremnet can occasionally be a bit overzealous in his methods, but you must realize..."  
  
Janeway cut him off before he could get any further. "Don't patronize me Milkor!" she said sternly and with conviction. "I've dealt with more than my fair share of bullies in my time and Gremnet has just managed to add one more name to the list. The attack he ordered against my first officer was completely unjustified and nothing more than a poor attempt at intimidation and I can assure you it did not have the desired result. I don't scare that easily. However, I can assure you that I am angry, damn angry, and I'm not known for being easy to get along with when I am. Why don't you get to the point and tell me what this is really all about."  
  
Milkor arose from his seat, obviously agitated at being scolded by her, and moved back from the screen a few steps before continuing. "Very well then Captain, why was a team from your ship, led by your second in command, meeting with escaped enemies of the state?"  
  
"My officers simply responded to a call for help. I can assure you they had no hostile intent. As for the fact that you now consider Ambassador Lukar and his companions to be enemies of the state, I can only assume that for some reason you and the other remaining members of the Council have decided to hide the truth of your history from your people and have identified the Ambassador and the others as a significant threat. Whatever your reasons, I strongly encourage you to reconsider this course of action, both with your own people and mine. The path you are on can only lead you to disaster."  
  
"Captain Janeway that sounded very much like a threat." he said, cocking his head to one side and attempting, but failing miserably to look smug.  
  
Janeway had too much experience with these types of situations and she was beginning to pick up on the subtle signs that told her Milkor was not truly controlling this conversation, and quite possibly the not entire situation either. "Take it however you wish. All I am interested in is the immediate release of your captives."  
  
Milkor had a feeling he knew exactly what she was driving at with this last statement. "Interesting turn of phrase Captain, do I understand you to mean all the captives or are we referring only to your people?"  
  
Janeway smiled. "Very observant Milkor, I mean all your captives, Voyager crew and Hakonene fugitives alike. I want my people back, but I am also very concerned for the fate of the Hakonene in Gremnet's custody. For obvious reasons I don't believe they will be treated fairly."  
  
The Hakonene Head of State actually had the audacity to laugh at her, tossing his head back and forth before responding. "I have a better idea. Why don't you provide us with the technical expertise to repair and maintain our defensive and communication systems and forget about the others, that might make me willing to consider releasing your people." Just when Janeway thought he was finished he added one final piece to the puzzle. "Oh, and you can also provide me with the location of that traitorous ambassador."  
  
"And if we were to do as you ask, what would be the fate of Lukar and the others, and more importantly, the Veret?" she responded, curious as to the reaction it would elicit.  
  
"That is none of your concern Captain!" Milkor was now clearly agitated that he wasn't getting anywhere and his tone of voice was a clear indication.  
  
"Unfortunately for all of us Milkor, it is my concern, and since it is obvious that this conversation is not getting either of us what we want, I consider it to be at an end. Please take this opportunity to reconsider your position given what I have said. I'll be in touch with you again soon. In the mean time I expect the prisoners to be well treated. Good day." With that, Janeway reached toward the console and abruptly ended the transmission.  
  
The room was completely silent even though there were still others in the room with her. She looked at the floor for a long moment. The only way she knew to stay in any control of the situation was to show no weakness or fear. She instinctively felt that Milkor and Gremnet had not planned any of this and were simply acting on their emotions and reacting to events beyond their control or their ability to effectively deal with. Nonetheless, the safety of a number of people was directly dependent on her course of action, and although this was certainly not unfamiliar territory for her in her career, it was still a place she disliked with a passion. When she raised her had again she blew out a long, slow breath, capturing the attention of the others in the room even more so than when she was in communication with Milkor. In the process she accidentally made eye contact with B'Elanna and both of them were certain that they were thinking the same thing. The Captain had done the right thing, in truth it was the only choice she had, but it could quite possibly lead to an outcome that neither one of them was willing to consider for the time being.  
  
Janeway moved back to her seat at the head of the table and dropped heavily into it. "Ok, time to get down to business."  
  
With that statement, the remaining senior staff set about identifying the details surrounding the issues at hand and developing a strategy to resolve them, each hoping for an ultimately favorable outcome on all fronts.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay awoke with a start. He'd been dreaming, and a bad dream at that. He distinctly remembered his last thought before waking being one of intense pain as a club struck him across the side of the head and he dropped lifelessly to the ground. Could it be a premonition? He certainly hoped not. Probably just subconscious fear over what they could have done to him during his previous beating, as if what they actually had done wasn't bad enough. Placing his hands on either side of his hips and pressing against the cot he raised himself back into as comfortable a sitting position as he could manage, his back resting against the back wall.  
  
From this vantage point he could get a fairly clear view of the entire detention area. Almost everyone seemed to be asleep. He wondered what time it was but had no way to determine that with any certainty. The guards had confiscated all of their weapons and equipment, including tricorders and comm badges, a fact that bothered him greatly. The Hakonene had some fairly advance technology of their own, but nothing along the lines of what they had confiscated from their newest prisoners. Any rescue party that Kathryn would send after them would undoubtedly face resistance from Starfleet phasers as well as Hakonene energy weapons. And at this point he doubted they would be set on stun.  
  
Taking a deep breath he began to look carefully around the room. His powers of observation were some of the best among the Voyager crew. He was often a better tactician than Tuvok. In some scenarios, the ability to understand feelings and emotions provided more of an advantage than logic and Chakotay was certain that if he worked at it hard enough, he would come up with something useful that could ultimately aid in effecting their escape.  
  
Surmising that it was the middle of the night, time was his only adversary for the immediate future. He needed to come up with as much as he could in the next couple of hours, the time he felt they had before they would be disturbed by anyone other than the normal watch. Besides, putting his brain into overdrive would take his mind off of the intense throbbing pain that seemed to permeate his being.  
  
=/\=  
  
As Chakotay had guessed, it was now indeed the middle of the night after what had proven to be an extremely long and exhausting day. The majority of Voyager's senior staff was still hard at work in the briefing room, although for some time now, all of them would have to admit that the emotional end physical exertion of the day was taking its toll on their ability to concentrate at this late hour.  
  
This time it was B'Elanna that was pacing, one arm across her chest, the other resting on it and holding her chin with her hand. While Harry and Tom were gone, she, Tuvok, Seven and the Captain had been developing scenarios for how to rescue the captives, but they kept running up against a fundamental problem. They had no idea of where they were actually being held, and with that crucial piece of information missing, any further plans they might try to develop would be based largely on speculation and therefore likely to fail.  
  
Rounding the seat that Janeway had taken several minutes before, her physical fatigue finally giving her no choice in the matter, B'Elanna heard her mention Lukar's name to Tuvok and all at once it came to her. "Captain, I have an idea. We've been going over and over all the possible technical solutions for finding Chakotay and the others and none of them are the least bit promising much less fool proof, and there's no way we'll be able to scan for their life signs or their comm signals with any certainty given the weather and without the benefit of the Hakonene signal boosters. But we don't need a technical solution. Lukar and the other Hakonene in the settlement can give us all the information we need. If we show them a recording of Gremnet's transmission they just might be able to identify where that detention area is and how to get to it."  
  
Janeway raised her head as stood slowly and deliberately, moving to stand only a small distance from her chief engineer and face her head on. "You're right B'Elanna. I believe one of the Hakonene with him was also a defector from the Minister's security team. He should be able to provide us with other useful information."  
  
Just as she was deciding where to take this conversation next, Tom's voice came of the comm. The bridge officer manning Harry's operations station must have patched it directly through. "Paris to Janeway."  
  
"Janeway here Tom, go ahead." she replied, moving closer to the computer console where the signal was broadcast from, and leaning one shoulder heavily against the bulkhead.  
  
"We're back. We'll be docking both shuttles in the bay within the next few minutes. There were a handful of Hakonene hanging around the Flyer when we got down there, obviously trying to figure out how to get inside her, but we simply beamed in, fired up her engines and got out of there. They opened fire on us with their energy weapons, but they're no match for our hull plating. Both the shuttles and the away team escaped without a scratch."  
  
"Good work gentlemen. Given the time, I suggest all of us get a couple of hours rest and meet back here in the briefing room at 0500. I'm fairly comfortable that we won't be contacted again before then, and if we're going to be any use to our friends down there, we'll need to be at our best."  
  
This time it was Harry that responded. "Aye aye Captain. 0500 it is."  
  
"Very good, and by the way, welcome back. Janeway out." The Captain took a lap around the table until she stood next to B'Elanna again. "Alright people, you're all dismissed until 0500 hours. And thank you for all your hard work today. I know it doesn't seem like it, given the fact that some of our family are in danger, but I'm proud of what you all accomplished and the way you handled yourselves. Now get out of here and get some rest. Dismissed." She allowed her gaze to pass around the room and made eye contact with all of them in turn, finally resting her eyes on the young woman standing almost directly in front of her.  
  
B'Elanna wasn't exactly sure that the Captain intended to include her in her comments, given the way she had behaved earlier on the bridge, but she let the thought pass without saying anything to Janeway. As if guessing what B'Elanna was feeling, Janeway reached up and patted B'Elanna quickly on the upper arm and then turned to leave the room. The fact that the two of them were the last of the staff to leave the room, and that B'Elanna observed her commanding officer exit through the door to the bridge instead of the door leading to the corridor and turbolift, clearly identified that Janeway had no intention of following her own advice. Deciding to confirm her suspicions, B'Elanna turned and followed her. Just as the door to the bridge opened in front of her, she saw the Captain enter the ready room and disappear from view as the door slide shut behind her with a hiss.  
  
TBC 


	19. Part 19

At Face Value - Part 19  
  
Written - 12/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 19  
  
Kathryn Janeway was awakened by the voice of her tactical officer softly calling her name. Blinking rapidly, and immediately raising her hands to rub her eyes, the PADD that had dropped to her chest earlier when she passed into a fitful sleep now fell with a dull thud to the floor beside the sofa. She had entered her ready room at approximately 0215 when the meeting in the briefing room broke up, unwilling to return to her quarters. 'Just in case.' she had told herself at the time in order to justify remaining close to the command center in the event that a senior officer was needed for some reason. She didn't want to be anywhere but the bridge if a transmission should come in from the Hakonene. She had also promised herself when she started falling asleep while reading the latest weather reports and predictions for the morning that she'd just close her eyes for a few minutes and get right back to business. As the old adage goes, 'The mind is willing but the flesh is weak.', and in this case, it was exactly what happened. The flesh gave up to its fatigue willingly, but the mind had wandered into a somewhat subdued frenzy, the result of which was a less than restful slumber. "What time is it?" she asked Tuvok as she began to rise stiffly from the cushions of the sofa by the window.  
  
When he answered, his tone was even and businesslike. "0430 Captain."  
  
Tuvok had inquired about the Captain's whereabouts within fifteen minutes of arriving in his own quarters that night. Logic, or least Janeway's unique brand of logic, something he had learned to understand after years of working closely with her, dictated that she would be exactly where she was, and nowhere near where she really should be. Knowing it would be futile to go after her and try to change her mind at that point in time, he determined to arrive before the meeting and check on her.  
  
"So I gather this is my wake up call?" she said, a slight smile gracing the corners of her mouth as she continued to a standing position, moved swiftly to the replicator and ordered, "Coffee, black."  
  
"Yes Captain." An economy of words was usually called for in situations like this until the Captain's mood could be determined. It was another thing he had learned through his long association with her. Although normally there was little to worry about and she would take a minor intrusion of her privacy such as this with mild amusement. It appeared she was doing now.  
  
The Captain turned toward him just as a soft beeping sound began to emanate from the general direction of the computer terminal on her desk. She nodded at Tuvok as she made her way across the upper level and down the steps to her desk. Reaching it, she lifted one leg onto the top and sat down on it, using her free hand to turn the console toward her. "As you can see Commander, I had prepared a little wake up call of my own, but I thank you for your attention to duty, and your concern." She pressed a control on the console and the beeping ceased. Turning back toward her second in command she continued. "You have the bridge Commander. I think I'll go freshen up a bit. There's no telling what this day is likely to bring."  
  
There was nothing left to say. Nothing was necessary. Janeway appreciated the stoic loyalty and support that he continually displayed when she needed him. He seemed to instinctively know exactly when those times were as well. It was something she counted on. There had been several incidents through their years together, and particularly on Voyager, where their relationship had been tested, but never to the breaking point. There was a trust and an understanding between the two that was rivaled only by her relationship with Chakotay, but since that relationship was so very different, there was never the possibility of a true rivalry. The three of them had developed into an effective command team in spite of themselves and both Chakotay and Tuvok appreciated the unique relationships they had with their Captain. Unfortunately, one of that team was missing, and the significance of it was affecting both of those that remained.  
  
That was precisely the thought that ran through Janeway's head now as she stood for another long moment looking at Tuvok. She wondered what the atmosphere was like a few days earlier when she had been the one missing. It would be an interesting conversation to have with Chakotay when they got him back safe and sound on Voyager.  
  
"I'll meet you in the briefing room in a few minutes." she said, finally turning and making her way out the back door of the ready room into the corridor toward the turbolift.  
  
"Aye Captain." Tuvok said to her back and the rapidly closing door as he moved toward the other door and the bridge.  
  
=/\=  
  
True to her word, the Captain appeared more than ready to take on anything that Milkor and Gremnet had to offer when she arrived in the briefing room at 0459. She had the routine down to a science. Years of practice had given her the ability to be anywhere on the ship looking crisp and neat and all business in under fifteen minutes. It didn't matter whether she started from her quarters or somewhere else on the ship either. Several of the senior staff still marveled at her ability to receive dignitaries in her dress uniform when only minutes before she had been somewhere in the bowels of the ship assisting some repair or other and covered with dirt and grime. "Good morning." she said to one and all, a fresh cup of coffee held lovingly in her right hand.  
  
The rest of the staff sat comfortably around the table in their usual seats, with the exception of Tuvok and the Doctor who were in a conversation all their own over by the viewport. As she moved toward them they finished their conversation and both also took seats at the table.  
  
For the next few minutes they recapped they ideas they had discussed the night before for the benefit of Tom and Harry who had been on the mission to retrieve the Delta Flyer. Once that was done Janeway made short work of the rest of the meeting. "Okay, that's all the information we have for now. Before we can go any further, we need to get find out if Lukar can help identify the location of that detention area. Under normal circumstances I would handle that mission myself. Unfortunately, I can't leave the ship with the likelihood that Milkor or Gremnet may try to contact us in the near future. So, after careful consideration, I want the three of you to handle it for me." B'Elanna, Tom and the Doctor where all seated beside each other directly to her right and by eye contact and a turn of her head in their direction it was evident who she was speaking to.  
  
B'Elanna swallowed hard at the prospect of approaching Jomar without the Captain present. "Captain, I understand your decision, but what makes you think that Jomar will listen to us?"  
  
"Just a hunch, and of course there's the fact that we really don't have much of a choice. I've prepared a message for him in the hopes that will help the cause." she said, handing a PADD to the Doctor who was seated the closest to her. "And because once he and Lukar witness what has happened to Chakotay and the others he will understand why I could not leave my people at a time like this. I've included recordings of both Gremnet and Milkor's transmissions as part of my message."  
  
This time the Doctor responded. "Captain, even if Jomar allows us back into the settlement without you, even if he allows us to speak to him directly, and even if he lets us live long enough to tell about it, he just might decide not to let us leave, have you considered that?"  
  
Janeway smirked. Leave it to the Doctor to voice his concerns out loud, and in doing so put words to the unspoken concerns of many of the others in the room. "I've thought of that Doctor. This time I want a show of force. Tuvok, contact Ayala and assemble ten of your other security guards. All human and all the biggest and strongest you can find. I want the security detachment to escort Ayala and the others to the settlement. They are to remain outside and wait while the others take the message to Jomar and Lukar. The message I provided them identifies that Chakotay and the others will be at great risk if he does not release all of you within the hour. I want you there just long enough to find out whether or not Lukar can identify the location of the captives and provide any insight into how to get them out of there."  
  
Everyone involved nodded acknowledging that this was probably the best they could come up with given the fact the Captain had to stay on board Voyager.  
  
She took a breath and continued. "With any luck, our adversaries will sleep late this morning. If they do contact us, I'll do everything in my power to gain some control over the situation in order to buy us the time to finalize and execute a plan. The quality of the information you are able to obtain and the timing of your mission are critical to our success, understood."  
  
Tom chimed in enthusiastically, "Understood Captain. You can count on us. I suggest we get everyone into the Flyer. It'll be a little snug, but it's the largest and most capable shuttle we have."  
  
"Agreed." The Captain turned to Seven of Nine. "Seven, any change in the weather? According to the reports I was reviewing last night it doesn't look any better or worse than usual."  
  
"That is correct Captain. I would suggest that we send a second shuttle to relay any communication transmissions as we have done on other away missions to the planet, but simply as a precaution. There does not appear to be anything unusual to be concerned about, at least not for the foreseeable future. How much time to you think you need?"  
  
"Thank you Seven, and your question gets me to the timeline I was referring to." Looking quickly at a chronometer displayed on the small computer console in the table in front of her she continued. "It's 0545 now, I want the team outfitted and on their way in time to arrive at the settlement at 0700. I know that's not much time so I'll call an end to this meeting now. I want all of you who are not participating in the mission on the bridge. Seven, Harry, I want the two of you to produce an abbreviated set of information from the wrecked Hakonene ship. Enough to provide the Ambassador, or any other Hakonene for that matter, that will provide them with the general outline of how they came to be here and how the Veret fit into the story."  
  
The Captain was well aware that she had not given them much insight into her overall strategy. She had already developed an outline for what they would need to do next, but if the mission to gain information from Lukar proved unsuccessful they'd have to start over anyway. No need to put too much information into circulation before it could be confirmed.  
  
"Okay, Doctor, I want you B'Elanna and Tom to stay here for a few minutes and we'll discuss the best way to approach Jomar when you arrive. Tuvok, you're dismissed to assemble the security team and fill them in. The rest of you can report to the bridge, I'll be there shortly. Any questions?"  
  
As the others went about their respective duties, Janeway began to impart some of her wisdom about Jomar to the team that would soon meet him face to face on the planet.  
  
=/\=  
  
Gremnet sat at a table in a small room just outside the detention area where the prisoners were being kept. It served as the warden's office and was adjacent to a much larger room that functioned as a combination bunk house and mess hall for the guards. He was eating breakfast. Something he had made sure his prisoners would not receive. Better to weaken them, they would be easier to control that way.  
  
As he sat sipping a glass of the Hakonene equivalent of orange juice, the door was flung open and Milkor and two other Councilors entered the room.  
  
"Well Gremnet, we're here. What is it you wanted to discuss?"  
  
Gremnet set the glass down and lifted a forklike utensil, focusing his attention on a piece of meat on his plate. "It's the start of a new day Councilor. I thought we should get down to business. Every minute that we waste gives Janeway and her people time we cannot afford."  
  
Milkor took a seat opposite the Minister of Security. He didn't much like the situation he was in. Gremnet had started something that concerned him greatly. While he wasn't an expert by any means, something deep within him told him that this kind of game was not a good idea, and what it was telling him was that it was never a good idea to use force in an attempt to gain and advantage when you had no idea of the overall power of your opponent. He was aware that the Hakonene had been successful in their trade dealings with other races because they had appeared completely friendly and non-threatening, which, was truly their nature, albeit with the possible exception of what they had done to the Veret when they first arrived here. They had been successful in taking over control of the Ruling Council because it was a known commodity and they had all the power. Voyager was another matter altogether.  
  
The words Milkor had said to Janeway the previous night had been largely scripted by Gremnet, although Milkor had added a few items of his own as got caught up in his play acting. Fear and desperation did strange things to people. He could see the signs in Gremnet and he was beginning to see them in himself now. It had been that very same thing that had encouraged him to go along with this outrageous scheme and force the other members of the Council into submission in the first place. He had started it, but Gremnet had escalated things far beyond his control and between the two of them they had sent their people down a dangerous path with no idea of what lay ahead and he was having second thoughts.  
  
He'd spent most of the night wondering if it just might be possible to contact Janeway and tell her it was all a mistake, an awful mistake, give her back her people, and convince her to take her ship and leave. While it wouldn't be easy, they could deal with the on-going problem of the Veret, and even the consequences of their actions with Lukar and the others, if Voyager were out of the picture. Janeway and her ship were an unwanted complication, a thoroughly unknown variable in a truly complex equation. Unfortunately, Gremnet had very different ideas and he sincerely doubted that either Grement's plan or his fleeting idea had any chance to succeed anyway.  
  
Looking across the table at him with barely concealed contempt for his attitude, Milkor realized that Gremnet was in almost complete control of the Hakonene military, and since most of them were deployed elsewhere, protecting perimeter defenses from any possible Veret attack, those left in the general vicinity of the detention center were some of the most loyal to him. In fact, many of them were part of an elite guard unit that Gremnet had personally trained and who were responsible for providing security to the Council members and the administrative complex. This included the detention area, and Milkor was well aware that part of their duty was to interrogate Veret prisoners. They had always given the security force free reign when it came to dealing with prisoners and now it occurred to him that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. It was another unknown variable.  
  
The real fact of the matter was that Milkor was no leader and he knew it, he never had been, and this recent attempt to pretend otherwise was proving a dismal failure. But then they hadn't really needed one in so long it hadn't made much of a difference. Ambassador Lukar handled all the real work with the rest of the Council simply staying out of the way and acting official. The Head of State was a figurehead, and had been for more than two generations. Milkor's father had wanted no part of the position after only a few years and gave it up early to his eldest son, making him by far the youngest to occupy the position as far back as anyone could remember.  
  
Shaking of these thoughts that were getting him nowhere, he found his voice again and responded to Gremnet. "You may very well be right. What do you have in mind?"  
  
Gremnet wiped his hands on the front of his tunic and stood. "I think it's time we gave her another demonstration. Your last conversation with her gained us nothing. As a matter of fact, I think it may even have lost us some of our advantage."  
  
"Advantage, what advantage would that be. As I see it, she doesn't need to give us anything Gremnet. She called you a bully last night, and you know what, that's exactly what I feel like. I know I went along with you are first, but that's because I didn't know what else to do. I was scared, and I think you are too. Why don't we admit we've taken this too far already and get out while we still can? I think Janeway could be made to listen to reason if we let her know we think we made a mistake and if we assure her that we will not harm any of her people further."  
  
"Coward!" Gremnet shouted, slamming his fist on the table so hard his breakfast dishes jumped in the air. "We have a chance to save our people and you want to throw it away? You are the Head of State. The people look to you and the Council to keep them safe, to preserve our way of life. All of that is threatened and you want to run away from your responsibility?" Gremnet's voice continued to increase in volume as he made his way toward the instigator of his wrath until he was standing nose to nose with him. "We began this course together Milkor. It's too late to change your mind. You're either with me or you're against me, and you really don't want to be against me. I will do whatever is necessary to get what we need from Voyager and wipe the rest of the Veret from the face of this planet, and I'll do it without you if I have to, it's your choice."  
  
With Gremnet in his face, and armed guards standing at the ready to respond to his every command, Milkor quickly decided that today was not the day that he would miraculously turn into the leader he should have been and wasn't. "Alright, I'm with you. As you say, we started all this and we need to see it through to an end."  
  
Gremnet scowled. "Wise decision Councilor." Reaching toward a table in the corner of the room, he picked up something and quickly slid it into what appeared to be a make-shift holster attached to his belt. "Time to go to work." he said and then headed for the doorway.  
  
=/\=  
  
0650 on the dot and the Delta Flyer was easing itself onto a snowdrift. The landing this time was a distinct improvement from the last time Tom had been in control of the shuttle, but then the weather was greatly improved. They had scanned the surface for any nearby life signs before getting close enough that they could accidentally be seen by anyone from the settlement. Even with all that had happened, they had still been able to keep the most significant of their technology out of sight of the Veret and Janeway had identified that she wanted to keep in that way if at all possible.  
  
Tom set the controls for station keeping just in case they needed to make a hasty exit and then joined the others as they filed from the rear compartment toward the main hatch. He made brief eye contact with B'Elanna as she pressed the control to open the hatch and within seconds they were off, all of them more than a little apprehensive as to whether or not they would be successful in their mission. They were all aware of what was at stake and they were committed to doing their very best, but Janeway was the resident expert on dealing with Jomar. First, she simply seemed to know how to handle him, and second, there seemed to be an odd chemistry between the two of them that no one on the away team could hope to understand.  
  
It only took a few minutes for them to traverse the short distance to the edge of the settlement. The security team formed two rows behind the four lead team members as Mike Ayala made his way to stand just of B'Elanna's left shoulder. Tom was immediately reminded of how often he had seen that very same positioning on the command level of the bridge. B'Elanna was the senior officer on this trip. She was in charge of the mission itself while Ayala was responsible for making sure they all made it back to Voyager in one piece. The two objectives weren't supposed to be mutually exclusive, but sometimes, circumstances beyond their control resulted in just that. He found himself praying to whatever gods were listening that today they would manage to be successful with both.  
  
B'Elanna took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out slowly. "Okay, here we go. Mike, bring the security detail along until we meet up with the Veret sentries outside the settlement. As we discussed, the security team is then to stay put and the rest of us will ask to see Jomar." She turned to look over her shoulder toward him and was answered by a definitive nod of his head. Turning back, she looked to her right to find both Tom and the Doctor. Tom was gracing her with a reassuring smile while the Doctor stared straight ahead into the lightly falling snow and looked like a condemned man on his way to his execution. B'Elanna choked back a laugh in spite of herself. "Doctor, are you alright, you look a little nervous.  
  
"What, me nervous? You forget I'm practically an expert on these people after all the time I've spent here. Nervous, really." he may have sounded indignant, but he still looked and acted nervous, and this time most of the Voyager away team choked back a laugh.  
  
B'Elanna focused her gaze back on Tom, grasped his hand and squeezed for a moment, and then let go, her expression serious. "Okay people, we've got a job to do and we're wasting time. Let's move out."  
  
It couldn't have been more than two more minutes before they were spotted by the Veret sentries. However, by this time, the specter of a group of Voyager crewmembers emerging from the swirling snow had almost become commonplace. The sentries didn't even raise their weapons to a threatening position, immediately recognizing the distinctive clothing of their visitors. Ayala took that as a good sign.  
  
"Janeway has sent us with a message for Jomar." It was all B'Elanna needed to say and one of the sentries motioned for her to follow. With that, the security detail spread out into a single line and held their position while the others followed the sentry toward the community house.  
  
Once inside, they were led to the door to Jomar's chamber and asked to wait while the sentry spoke directly to a large and rather fierce looking Veret warrior with one massive arm in a sling. The Doctor recognized him immediately. "Menem, I'm so glad to see that you've made such a rapid recovery." He exclaimed, unable to believe his eyes.  
  
Menem moved slowly toward them, his movements indicative of someone who was recovering from great physical injury. Yet he moved unaided and with an air of determination that greatly impressed the members of the away team. They were all aware that this was the warrior that had played such a critical role in the establishment of their relationship with Jomar.  
  
"Welcome Doctor. It is good to see you as well." Menem grasped the Doctor's forearm tightly in a gesture of greeting as soon as he reached him. "My warrior tells me that you have a message for Jomar."  
  
So far the mission seemed to be going according to plan and at this point they could use all the lucky breaks they could get. B'Elanna decided that it was time for her to take control of the conversation away from the Doctor before they absently strayed away from the reason for their visit. "Yes Menem. We have something very important to discuss with him."  
  
Menem looked down at her, a perplexed expression crossing his face, almost as if he was surprised that this diminutive female had been the one to address him. It was almost the same look that Jomar had given Janeway when she had faced him upon their very first meeting in the caverns.  
  
"Come with me." he said, and he led them to Jomar's door where he banged on it lightly with his fist.  
  
Jomar came to the door within seconds, surprised to see who his visitors were. He looked directly at everyone in the group before acknowledging their presence and B'Elanna immediately recognized he must be looking for Janeway. Knowing that is was important to let Jomar lead this conversation for the next few moments, she held her tongue and waited. It was one of the things that Janeway had stressed. It was highly important for Jomar to feel he was in control of the situation. This mission was too important to risk his considerable wrath by being overanxious. Fortunately, none of them had to wait long.  
  
"Where is Janeway?" Jomar inquired, his voice booming but controlled.  
  
B'Elanna swallowed hard and began. "The situation with the Hakonene has become critical Jomar. Our people are in great danger. Captain Janeway has sent us to you with a message in the hope that you will help us."  
  
There was just a hint of astonishment in his eyes as he grabbed B'Elanna by the arm and led her, Menem and the rest of the team from Voyager into his chamber and slammed the door behind them.  
  
TBC 


	20. Part 20

At Face Value - Part 20  
  
Written - 12/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 20  
  
He'd spent the better part of the last two hours moving nothing but his eyes around the detention area hoping to observe something that might prove useful. The first thing he was able to confirm was that the bars making up three of the four cell walls and its ceiling were too thick and too tightly lashed together to pull apart. He'd also examined the cell doors, and while he'd observed that the pins holding the hinges in place looked vulnerable, it would be an extremely noisy operation to pry them loose. As for the guards, there was always at least one standing sentry duty near the tunnel entrance that served as the only way in or out of the room, and one other who walked endlessly around the area observing what was going on in the cells. Chakotay had timed those passes and decided it generally took between ten and fifteen minutes for the guard to make a full circle, but even when he wasn't directly in front of a specific cell, the circular arrangement of the cells around a central open area gave him an ample view of all the others. Suffice it to say there was no obvious way to escape.  
  
Chakotay had also taken stock of their weapons and technology. As near as he could tell, the guards were all armed with short clubs and nothing more, although there appeared to be some kind of weapons locker off to the side by the tunnel that contained several energy rifles. There was also a large computer panel of some kind in the wall nearby that was enclosed behind a wooden door. Chakotay was unable to get a good look at it, but he deduced it was used for communication because one of the guards would move to it, open the door, and speak to someone unseen at regular intervals.  
  
Just as he was beginning to realize that it had been far too long since they'd seen or heard from Milkor or Gremnet, additional guards began to spill into the detention area from the tunnel. The two officials soon appeared to the rear of the group followed closely by two additional guards. It was definitely a show of force, and as Chakotay had feared, several of them were carrying confiscated Starfleet phasers attached to their waists.  
  
"Why do I get the feeling this is not going to be any fun at all." Chakotay said under his breath as he sat higher on the cot. While he watched, Gremnet and several of the guards moved toward the computer terminal in the wall. They worked on the controls for several minutes before they appeared satisfied with the results of their efforts and Chakotay guessed they were dealing with one of the many malfunctions brought on by failing components of their technology.  
  
The door to the terminal was left open, and within a few more seconds, a static laden view screen finally cooperated. The snow that had been there before re-formed itself into the image of a dark haired man in a yellow- shouldered Starfleet uniform. Harry. They had obviously hailed Voyager. His bad feelings confirmed, he started to painfully slide himself toward the end of the cot.  
  
Moving away from the terminal, Gremnet motioned to one of his guards who proceeded to the cell next to Chakotay. The door was unlocked by another guard and before anyone could prepare themselves, four of them rushed in and roughly grabbed a female crewman named Russell by the arms and dragged her out into the center of the open area. To their credit, several of the others in the cell attempted to pull the guards off of her, Starfleet and Hakonene alike, but they were all driven back by vicious blows from the fists and clubs of the guards.  
  
Chakotay pulled himself upright by grasping the cell bars with both hands and placing all of his weight on his good leg. Ever so slowly he made his way toward the front of the cell, alternately hopping and dragging his battered body across the cell, until he was holding himself upright by grasping the bars of the cell door. "Gremnet, what are you up to?"  
  
The Hakonene turned and spoke directly to him. "Oh, just a little object lesson in sincerity for your dear Captain. I've been dying to test one of these weapons of yours ever since we got our hands on them."  
  
"Commander?" Russell said questioningly, her fear evident in every fiber of her being as Gremnet turned his attention back toward her. Taking her from the guards, he roughly maneuvered her around in front of him until he was directly behind her and controlling her movements by wrenching her left arm behind her back.  
  
While all of this was happening, Harry Kim was notifying the Captain that there was a transmission from the planet. As the picture was transferred to the view screen on her order there was an audible gasp from several members of the bridge crew. There before them was a full screen view of Crewman Russell standing in the middle of the detention block very near where they had last seen Chakotay. She was being roughly handled by Gremnet who had a wild and unnatural look on his face.  
  
"Captain, so good to see you again."  
  
Chakotay followed Gremnet's gaze and, sure enough, high in the wall of the cave near the natural ceiling was what appeared to be a transmission unit of some sort with a large telescoping lens and a small monitor. Kathryn Janeway's image was clearly recognizable against the backdrop of Voyager's bridge even given the small size of the screen and its relative distance away.  
  
Janeway uncrossed her legs and stood, dreading what was likely to happen next. Moving slowly across the command level toward the view screen, she began to involuntarily clench and unclench her hands into tight fists, so tight that her nails were leaving angry curved indentations in the flesh of her hands. "Gremnet, I'm not sure what you have in mind, but I insist that you cease this mistreatment a member of my crew immediately.  
  
Gremnet only laughed.  
  
Milkor watched what was taking place from the side of the room, as far out of the way as he could possibly get. The laugh he heard emanating from Gremnet told him that the man must really and truly have lost his mind along with any shred of decency he may have possessed.  
  
Speaking slowly and evenly, Gremnet finally continued. "Captain Janeway, you are in no position to insist on anything. You have exactly one of your minutes to accede to our demands or else."  
  
"Or else what, Minister." she answered, the emphasis she placed on his title positively dripping with the contempt she felt for him.  
  
It was time to stall although she wasn't entirely sure what it would buy her at this point. There was nothing she could do to prevent anything that Gremnet might be planning to do, short of acquiescing to his demands, and that was not going to happen. "And exactly what would those demands be Minister?"  
  
"Don't treat me like a fool Captain! You know exactly what we want. Furthermore, you are to agree to leave this planet and never return as soon as those demands are met."  
  
Janeway placed her hands on her hips. "And how will that gain me the release of your prisoners, Voyager crew and Hakonene alike?"  
  
"A technicality. We'll deal with that in due time. First I want your word that you will cooperate. Otherwise, I will execute the prisoners at regular intervals, beginning with this one, until you change your mind."  
  
She looked down at the floor briefly in an attempt to control her raging emotions. When she raised her head again, she couldn't help but focus on the face of the terrified crewman that Gremnet held tightly to him. It was times like this when she truly wished she had refused a transfer to command and stayed in the science track, or for that matter chosen another profession than one in Starfleet altogether. When she spoke, her voice was a good deal more even and controlled than she felt. "You have seen that I am not easily intimidated, what makes you think that this will in any way encourage me to change my mind? Sooner or later, even if you do as you say, you will run out of hostages and I will have no reason to give you what you want."  
  
It was a cruel thing for the captives to hear and she knew it, but it was all she could think of to say, and quite frankly it was true.  
  
"Enough of this Captain! You will not allow all of these people to die. You now have ten seconds."  
  
Everyone listening immediately began to hold their breath.  
  
The brief silence was interrupted by Chakotay's voice. "Captain, if you can hear me, don't give in to this, no matter what happens!" her first officer shouted to the air in the hopes that his voice would be picked up by the audio of the transmission. In response, the guard closest to him raised his club and slapped it against Chakotay's fingers where they were tightly wrapped around the bars of the cell door.  
  
Kathryn had heard him. "Oh dear god no." she mumbled softly to herself as Gremnet raised the phaser to Russell's right temple. Making eye contact with the young crewman she felt a stabbing pain through her heart even though she had no way of knowing whether or not Russell could see her.  
  
"Your minute is up Captain, have you changed your mind?"  
  
She opened her mouth to speak, but was startled by something moving rapidly across the corner of the view screen. She was both shocked and pleased when Milkor appeared, grabbing at Gremnet's arm and removing the phaser from the frightened crewman's head just as the security minister pressed the fire button. A long stream of light blasted from the end of the weapon, harmlessly striking the cavern ceiling. The strength of the beam instantly vaporized a large area of the rock and caused several large chunks to dislodge and fall to the floor.  
  
All the Voyager crew observing immediately knew the phaser had been set to kill by the damage the wild shot had inflicted. If Milkor had not intervened, Russell's name would have been added to the slowly growing list of those lost in the Delta Quadrant.  
  
"Captain!" Milkor shouted, his mind racing, as he wrestled the phaser from Gremnet's grasp. He had truly realized only seconds before that Gremnet would go through with murdering this woman if someone didn't intervene. It had even surprised him when he also realized that he simply couldn't let that happen and began running toward the Minister and his captive. As the falling rock and dust settled, he considered what would have been the outcome if he had been even a second slower in acting on that realization. But now he faced a difficult problem. Gremnet was furious. He had to come up with an explanation for his actions quickly or he might be the next intended victim of phaser fire. "As you can see, we are very serious about this. I have decided to give you one more opportunity to reconsider your situation before I allow Gremnet to carry out his duty."  
  
Gremnet looked at him with utter contempt, but realized that the Councilor was taking full responsibility for changing the plan even though the only plan was the one that Gremnet had concocted in his own mind. Milkor was aware that Janeway had no way of knowing that the two Hakonene had not planned this course of action together and that at the last possible second Milkor had changed his mind, just as he had said.  
  
"I give you four hours to reconsider your position and that is all."  
  
With that statement, Milkor motioned toward a guard near the computer terminal and the transmission from the planet ceased.  
  
=/\=  
  
B'Elanna was instantly on her guard. Jomar's grip was punishing even if it wasn't intended to be. She now knew how Janeway had come to have such severe bruising on her arms as a result of their earlier visit. She could also easily imagine him flinging her against a wall hard enough to cause severe injury. Her only thought was to avoid the same fate at all costs. Luckily, Jomar released her as soon as he had dragged her to the center of the room in front of the fireplace and spun her around in front of him. Menem moved to stand beside Jomar. The six of them were the only ones in the room.  
  
"You say Janeway sent you here with a message. Why would she not come herself?"  
  
The Doctor and Ayala had taken positions behind her. Tom, concerned for her wellbeing at the hands of the very same alien that had injured their captain was now standing protectively at her side. The two shared a brief glance and Tom nodded his head, silently indicating his support.  
  
Knowing Jomar and his people would not understand what was to them common terminology, she chose her words carefully, just as they had discussed with the Captain before they left the ship. More than anything she did not want to fail in this mission. Lives hung in the balance. No matter what might have been bothering her lately, and how out of control she had been feeling, she needed to put it all behind her and concentrate on nothing other than a successful outcome. She would never forgive herself if something were to go awry now. "We have a technology that allows us to capture a visual record of events and view them at a later time. Captain Janeway has used this technology to provide a message for you. If you will agree to listen to this message, you will understand why the Captain did not come herself."  
  
"Very well, I will listen to this message, what is this technology you speak of?"  
  
Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out a large PADD. This one was specially designed for video playback as its surface area was almost completely occupied by a view screen. The playback controls were actually integrated into a transparent overlay in the lower right corner to allow for as much viewable area as possible. Handing it to B'Elanna, she activated the play mode and handed it to Jomar. Within seconds he was watching intently as Janeway's image appeared on the screen and began to speak. She had chosen to record this message from the ready room while seated at her desk. It was intentional. There was nothing visible in the transmission that would alarm or unsettle Jomar or any of the other Veret that might view the recording. As it was, Menem was the only other Veret present and he moved closer to Jomar so that he could get a clearer view of the small screen as well.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway took a deep breath and held it for a long moment before letting it out slowly and turning back toward her command chair. Disaster had been averted, and only through the actions of a most unlikely individual. The image of one of her youngest and most inexperienced crew members being abused by Gremnet was still clearly visible in her mind's eye, the pain and fear on Russell's face indelibly etched in her memory. First Chakotay, now this, how many more of her crew would suffer in some way before this was all over? She found herself thinking that this was all her fault. If she had left well enough alone and not pushed the boundaries of the Prime Directive in the first place, none of this would have happened. If it hadn't been for the Veret, and for she and B'Elanna getting captured and learning about their plight, if they hadn't learned the truth about the Hakonene, if Milkor and Gremnet hadn't felt threatened and gone on the offensive, if... if... if... As soon as she dropped herself heavily into the chair, she crossed her left leg over her right knee and sat ramrod straight, trying to decide just which one of her raging emotions she would allow to hold sway of her mood first, there were so many to choose from.  
  
Ironically, her next thoughts were of B'Elanna and her unpredictable mood swings of late. She had been asked to perform a difficult task, one that had to be done, and one on which the lives of several others might depend. She would have to overcome all that at least long enough to help the captives. A small shake of her head and a tiny smile were all that was visible as her inadvertent comparison of herself to her chief engineer ultimately helped her to decide to put her emotions aside in the best interests of her crew.  
  
Glancing to her left, she checked the chronometer on the console between the two command chairs. Time was rapidly passing. Only forty minutes before she should hear from the away team and only four hours in which to create a solid rescue plan or one or more of her crew would die.  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar had listened to the transmission from Janeway alternatively shifting between amazement that she was speaking to him through a device that was smaller than one of his dinner plates and the emotions that her words elicited in him. From what she had said so far, the situation was even worse than they were aware of when Lukar and the others had stumbled into the settlement and blurted out their story. He continued to stare intently at the PADD in his hands as she continued to speak.  
  
"I have reason to believe that Lukar and those with him may be able to help us. The next part of this message is a recording of recent events as they actually happened. In the hopes that Lukar may be able to tell us where this took place, I would ask a favor of you Jomar. Please allow Lukar and his people to see the remainder of this message with you. They may be able to provide us with information that will prove valuable in rescuing the captives. I ask you to allow them to see the transmission and to talk with my officers. It may be the only chance we have to save them. If you agree, simply ask one of my people to stop this message now and restart it when the others have joined you. I will again speak to you after the recording is completed."  
  
Janeway stopped speaking and the screen went momentarily blank, an intentional space left to allow the playback to be turned off. B'Elanna, expecting Jomar to ask for the playback to be halted, reached for the PADD.  
  
He saw it coming and slapped her hand away. "No!" he shouted. "I will see this for myself before I agree to your captain's request." He raised his eyes to look directly at her as she clutched her hand to her chest.  
  
Tom and Ayala instantly reacted and began to pull their weapons from their jackets. B'Elanna saw it coming. Never breaking eye contact with Jomar she knew she needed to say something before this got way out of hand and their mission turned into a dismal failure right before her very eyes. "Stand down gentlemen. Everything's fine."  
  
Jomar continued to watch her closely, and she never moved her eyes from his. "You have learned your lessons well since the first time you were here Torres. You are a credit to Janeway and to yourself."  
  
Everyone in the room took the next few seconds to take a deep breath and compose themselves. B'Elanna had done as she needed to and had taken charge. The other members of the away team were a bit surprised at her behavior, but then they had not been privy to one last conversation between the Lieutenant and the Captain right before they had left on their mission.  
  
During that conversation, Janeway had taken B'Elanna aside and reiterated exactly what leading this mission was all about. It was not simply a matter of protocol as the ranking officer for it was not the other members of the team that she would need to convince that she was in charge. It was more than anything else a necessity of dealing with Jomar. He would respond to her only by outward demonstration of her authority. He respected strength balanced with judgment and restraint and Janeway knew through experience that she would need to be able to react appropriately if challenged.  
  
B'Elanna had accepted the Captain's words even though she had convinced herself that she saw just the smallest hint of doubt in her eyes when she said it. B'Elanna honestly felt that Janeway had placed her in command of this mission largely because she had little choice in the matter. B'Elanna's recent frame of mind was a handicap and could effectively obliterate all hope of success if she could not stay in command of her own emotions.  
  
Shaking off her self doubt as she continued to stand firm with Jomar, she spoke. "If you wish to view the remainder of the message first Jomar, I have no objection. I only ask that you carefully consider what the Captain has asked of you when you have finished."  
  
Jomar nodded his head and then turned his gaze back to the PADD as the brief break in the message concluded and the screen became alive with the recorded transmission of the detention area. B'Elanna and the others cringed at the sight and sound of Chakotay's beating and the subsequent discussion between Gremnet and Janeway. Then there was nothing but silence for a few more seconds until Janeway's face appeared.  
  
Jomar seemed utterly at a loss for words as he watched and listened to Janeway's final plea. "I implore you to help us in any way that you can in finding our captured comrades. I'm sure you understand how difficult it is for me to remain here and wait while they suffer, but I can do nothing until I have some way of knowing where to strike. I will wait anxiously for the return of Lieutenant Torres and her team with any information you can provide them. Thank you."  
  
The screen went blank and turned itself completely off this time. As B'Elanna and the others continued to watch Jomar and Menem, they saw Menem place an uncharacteristically comforting hand on Jomar's shoulder. "Do you think it was him Jomar?"  
  
Jomar's expression turned at once to one of shock and then to anger and then to barely controlled fury. "It is he. We must save him and the others with him." he said, the dangerous tone of his voice sending shivers down B'Elanna's spine.  
  
"Jomar, what is it?" she asked in response.  
  
He looked up at her, the fury even more evident now that she could make direct eye contact. "There are Veret being held here with your Commander and the others. We could see them in the cells. One of them is my son."  
  
"Your... son..." choked the Doctor. "You never said anything about..."  
  
"And why should I?" Jomar bellowed. "We believed him to be dead."  
  
All the Voyager crew that had witnessed the transmission from the bridge had noticed that there were other prisoners in the detention area, but they had been so focused on what was happening to Chakotay that they paid little attention to them, although several had noticed that there was mix of Veret and Hakonene in the cells along with the others from Voyager.  
  
"Menem, bring the Ambassador and the other Hakonene to me, immediately!"  
  
There was no hesitation as Menem did as he was asked and the Voyager team stood with barely concealed astonishment on their faces.  
  
TBC 


	21. Part 21

At Face Value - Part 21  
  
Written - 12/03  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 21  
  
Menem returned several moments later with the Hakonene trailing behind. The entire round trip transpiring so quickly that the Voyager team didn't even have enough time to sort out how to react to what they had just heard.  
  
As the Ambassador and the others with him entered, they were roughly shoved to the side of the room by several Veret who were obviously assigned to guard them. Jomar had stood stock still staring at the blank PADD while Menem retrieved the others. Now he lifted his eyes to B'Elanna's again. "You can make it so we can view this again?"  
  
"Yes Jomar, we can." she said simply.  
  
"Tell the Ambassador what Janeway wants to know."  
  
She immediately felt this to be a good sign. Whatever would ultimately happen, Jomar was allowing Lukar into the conversation, and would likely allow him to view the transmission just as the Captain had requested. She quickly reiterated why they had come and what Janeway hoped they would be able to tell them.  
  
Jomar waited until she had finished and then handed her the PADD. "Start it again." he said quietly. Then he reached his hand toward Lukar, grabbing him by the upper arm and pulling him toward B'Elanna and the others. Lukar in turn grabbed one of the other Hakonene with him until the two of them stood side by facing B'Elanna with Jomar and Menem looking over them from behind. As the message replayed in its entirety, B'Elanna and the others watched the expressions on all of their faces for some sign of recognition. At first there was nothing as they all listened again to Janeway's request. Then as the recorded Hakonene transmission played again, both Lukar and the Hakonene security officer exhibited a look of recognition. They both turned away momentarily as they watched what was done to Chakotay, their reaction surprising the Veret in their presence.  
  
When the message was again over, Tom asked the operative question, unable to stand the wait any longer. "Do you know where they are being held?"  
  
Lukar nodded. "Yes. It is a detention center in the main cavern located several meters below the administration building. It is heavily guarded, but there is only one way in or out of that facility. There is an entrance to the tunnel inside the office wing of the building. It is in a far section occupied by Gremnet and the officers of his security force."  
  
The other Hakonene added, "You would never be able to approach undetected. While you would likely be able to overwhelm the guards if you brought a large enough offensive force, your people could easily be killed long before you reached them."  
  
"Would you be willing to help us try to rescue them?" asked the Doctor.  
  
Lukar looked to Jomar before he spoke, almost as if asking permission. "Of course we would. Gremnet is holding our people there as well. But we are captives ourselves. I'm afraid there is little we could do from here."  
  
Jomar pushed through all of them moved to the table and sat. "Come, sit, we have much to discuss."  
  
=/\=  
  
"We're being hailed Captain, it's the away team."  
  
Janeway uncrossed her legs and rose to her feet, feeling the stiffness in her body as she did so. She hadn't realized that she had been transfixed by the blank view screen for some time now and the sudden movement caused several muscles that had tightened up in that time to protest. The discomfort was nothing compared to her apprehension concerning the fact that the team was actually returning several minutes early from the planet.  
  
"On screen." she ordered.  
  
B'Elanna's face appeared and behind her were those of Lukar and Ayala. Tom and the Doctor were nowhere to be seen. "Captain, I have made a deal with Jomar, request permission to dock and to meet in the briefing room as soon as we are able to get there."  
  
"Permission granted Lieutenant. We'll be there to meet you as soon as you can get up here."  
  
"Aye Captain."  
  
The transmission ended and Janeway ordered all of the senior staff on the ship to the bridge, Neelix and Seven of Nine included.  
  
=/\=  
  
They were all sitting quietly in the briefing room when B'Elanna, Ayala and Lukar arrived.  
  
Janeway had been wondering why they had not seen the Doctor, Tom and the others in the shuttle. She was about to find out.  
  
"Captain, Lukar was able to identify where Chakotay and the others are being held. He is willing to work with us to come up with a rescue plan. It took a good deal of discussion, but I was able to convince Jomar to allow Lukar to come with us under the condition that the others would stay behind as a gesture of good faith, and that we would return with news from you as soon as possible."  
  
Janeway crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair. "I understand. And I'm sure they are in no danger." she said, the second part of her response largely said as reassurance for B'Elanna who must have greatly disliked leaving Tom behind. "Now, what do you have to tell us Ambassador?" she asked, turning her attention to Lukar and the information he could offer.  
  
Within only a few minutes he had identified all he knew about the location of the prisoners as well as the information the Hakonene security officer had given him about the tunnel and the sentries and defenses along the way. Once that was done, Janeway identified that Gremnet and Milkor were expected to contact her again in just under four hours demanding a firm response to their demands. There was little time to formulate and execute a plan.  
  
"There's another complication Captain." explained B'Elanna. "The recorded transmission of the detention center that you included in your message also shows several Veret being held prisoner there along with the others. Jomar and Menem were incensed to know that their people were being held captive. Apparently these individuals have been missing for some time and were thought dead. Jomar identified that one of those being held is his son."  
  
B'Elanna's statement hung in the air like a dark cloud as Janeway uncrossed her arms and placed her palms flat on the table as she hauled herself from her chair. "Did you say son?" she said, looked as shocked as her voice sounded.  
  
Lukar responded this time. "Yes Captain. Apparently he has a son that was captured with one of the Veret raiding parties several months ago. He had thought the boy dead."  
  
Janeway quickly ran a playback of the events in the detention center in her mind. She distinctly recalled seeing Veret, but none that looked like a boy. And then she remembered. The Veret had longer than average life spans. She had never asked Jomar how old he was. It was entirely possible that he could have a child that was an adult by their standards. It surprised her somewhat that he had never mentioned him in their discussions.  
  
Seeing the confusion still etched in the Captain's face, Lukar told her the rest. "Jomar has intentionally kept his existence a secret from you in order to prevent any possible word to be passed on to the Hakonene. He was not certain that he could completely trust you in light of the fact that you were dealing with us. If the boy still lived, your knowledge of him could be a significant threat."  
  
Nodding her understanding she asked, "And where is his mother?"  
  
B'Elanna answered this time. "She apparently died several years ago."  
  
Janeway began to walk around the table. This was an added insight into Jomar. He had truly suffered greatly, not only as the hereditary leader of his people, but as a husband and father as well. She instantly admired him even more than before.  
  
Seeing that the Captain seemed to have nothing to say for the moment, B'Elanna continued. "Jomar says that he understands why you could not come to ask for his help in person. He also understands why you requested that Lukar needed to hear your message. He proposes that we work together to free the captives from the Hakonene and suggests that by doing so we may begin to pave the way to peace between the Hakonene and the Veret. Apparently he and Lukar had a long discussion after we left the last time and he is willing to give Lukar and the others that are sympathetic to his cause a chance to change things. He sees this as a start. He also said that whether we ultimately decided to work with him or not, he would do everything in his power to free the Veret prisoners now that he knew of their existence. He is massing his forces already and has given us one hour to talk to you and to bring back your answer."  
  
This was a surprise. Jomar was in essence proposing an invasion of the caverns in order to free his people. It was foolhardy, but given the confusion of the Hakonene at the moment, it just might have a slim chance to succeed. "Well, it looks as though we have an ally. That certainly can't hurt. Ambassador, are you certain you know how to lead us to this place?"  
  
"Yes Captain. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the detention center in the main cavern. There are no others that resemble it or that are within a close proximity to the administration building. It would be impossible for Gremnet and Milkor to control such a situation from anywhere else."  
  
B'Elanna and Lukar were still standing only a few meters inside the briefing room at the opposite end of the table from where Janeway had originally been sitting. As the conversation continued, she had made her way around the room until she was standing directly in front of the two of them. "That's it then. We have recently been in contact with them again and both of them were seen in the detention center this time, not from the Council chamber or an office in the administration building. Now we need a plan on how to get in there and get our people out quickly before they know what's happening."  
  
Seven of Nine now entered the conversation. She had an idea, although she wasn't sure the Captain would be supportive. "Captain, the Hakonene are due to contact you again in less than four hours. It is possible that we could use that transmission to channel a transporter signal to the detention area of we were certain of its relative location."  
  
B'Elanna listened and then made a contribution of her own. "We'd have to get fairly close Captain, and it could be dangerous. Even though the weather has been cooperating lately, there is still no way that we could place a rescue team that accurately from orbit, especially if we're piggy backing on a less than compatible signal, although Seven and I could take a look at the logs from the last few transmissions and see if we could raise our comfort level."  
  
"The only logical alternative would be to send a security team in a shuttle." Tuvok added.  
  
"Yes, but would we be able to send a large enough team?" asked Neelix.  
  
Janeway crossed her arms again, this time placing one over the other, lifting one hand to her chin, and continuing her stroll around the room as the others discussed possible options. In her mind she envisioned several pieces of an old fashioned jigsaw puzzle in disarray on a table top. She was convinced that she had all the necessary pieces if she could pull them together in the right orientation. If she could do that, she was certain they would coalesce into the answer she was looking for. Continuing around the room she heard every word her officers and the Ambassador said, taking everything should could into consideration. And then suddenly, she had it, or at least most of it. She would need the assistance of the others to pull the last couple of pieces into the correct places, but... "We'll need to buy ourselves a little more time if Jomar and his forces are to be of any real help. They'll have to travel on foot."  
  
Once again, as she had so many times before since Voyager was thrown so far from home, she used her instincts, training and experience to pull all the information available together, leverage the abilities of those around her, and come up with a way to get them out of their predicament. The plan was not without risk, as a matter of fact there was more than she was comfortable with, but it went with the territory. Gazing at the chronometer in the wall-mounted computer console, she knew without a doubt that the next four hours was all that stood between her and full knowledge of the outcome.  
  
=/\=  
  
Exactly one hour later, Kathryn Janeway stood in Jomar's chamber in the Veret settlement. There were only three of them there, Jomar, Lukar and herself. They had just hammered out the last details for their combined operation against Gremnet and Milkor. The objective being to take over the administration building, free the hostages, and firmly establish Lukar and the others sympathetic to him in power over the Council. It was ambitious, dangerous, and likely to be the last chance the Veret had to save their people.  
  
Their conversation was brief but meaningful and they were all well aware of the importance of the roles they would play in the events that were about to transpire. Lukar left the room to join the others in their preparations leaving Jomar and Janeway momentarily alone. She marveled at the fact that Lukar, so recently an enemy, was now allowed to move so freely in Jomar's world. It was the outcome she had desired when she had started all this so many days ago, but she would have never imagined the events that had transpired to bring it about.  
  
"Jomar, I want to thank you for your willingness to work with Lukar and the other Hakonene. I honestly believe this will be the beginning of a new life for your people." He acknowledged her words but then turned and stared into the fire. She understood his reflective mood. She was often in much the same frame of mind on the eve of a major mission. As they stood near the roaring fire, Janeway decided she needed to know why he had not confided in her concerning his son. Lukar had hinted at the reason, but she wanted to hear it from him. "Jomar, I don't mean to pry, and I understand if you choose not to tell me, but why didn't you tell me you had a family?"  
  
He looked up at her with such thoughtfulness in his eyes that it almost made her regret she had asked the question. It was a side of him that she had rarely seen since their association began. "I wasn't sure I could trust you with the information Janeway. You have now seen what the Hakonene are capable of. I knew you were not aware of this and I could not take the chance that they might use you against me or my people once they knew of your association with us. If they were ever to find out that they were holding my son, they would certainly have tried to use that to their advantage. I could not have allowed that." He hesitated for only a moment, took a deep breath, and continued. "You must understand that it was not you that I did not trust. I was only concerned for what might happen if the Hakonene were to encourage you to reveal information by force. There have been stories of abuse and torture even though we could not be certain. Your message showed that those stories are true. You are a strong leader to resist them after what they did to your officer."  
  
"I understand. And thank you for your kind words. Chakotay is also a dear friend. It has been very difficult to watch him suffer." As she said it she involuntarily reached out her hand, tiny in comparison to his, and gently grasped his wrist. She could feel him shiver slightly at her touch, and it surprised her that this giant of a man was affected in any way by such a simple gesture concern. "What happened to your wife?"  
  
His eyes took on a misty appearance as he answered her. "She was lost to disease when the last of our people came here. She was starving and suffering greatly from the cold but she still refused to be treated differently than the others simply because she was my wife. She was a proud woman Janeway, strong of mind and spirit. You remind me of her in many ways."  
  
He paused and Janeway took the opportunity to take in what he had said and how it must have affected their relationship from the start. She had inadvertently been the beneficiary of a resemblance to his widow, her ability to work with him where others could not as much the result of circumstance, as the strength of her character and capabilities. She could only now imagine how much her accidental appearance in his life had truly affected him. She squeezed his arm lightly as he again began to speak.  
  
"She was with child and was more susceptible to the rigors of our journey than the others. I lost both of them during our first month in this place."  
  
"Jomar, I am so sorry, and I want you to know that I will do all I can to make sure that we get your son and the others out of there alive and unharmed in any way."  
  
"I believe you Janeway. And I thank you for all that you have done for my people. We may not be successful in this, but at least we will have done all we can to preserve our way of life and return to our home." He placed his free hand over hers, the roughness of his palm feeling like fine sandpaper on the back of her hand.  
  
She looked at him for what seemed a long time, saying a silent prayer to whatever god was listening that they would see each other again, and in happier circumstances. "We will be successful Jomar. Failure is not an option for either one of us."  
  
He patted the back of her hand one more time and then they followed Lukar out of the chamber and on to their respective missions.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway was on her way to the bridge when the transmission came. She had just arrived back from making the very last of the preparations with the other mission leaders. They would make an offensive on several fronts over the next two hours and her thoughts were centered on all the things that could go wrong, and those that she cared about that were now in harms way. It gave her a determination she hadn't felt since she had first encountered the Borg, and as the adrenaline built in her system, she motioned to Harry to open the channel.  
  
On the screen before her was her first officer, seated on a chair in the middle of the detention area, his wrists and ankles bound to it. There was sweat pouring from his brow, no doubt the result of fighting the pain in his damaged leg from the angle it had been forced into. Behind him stood Gremnet, Starfleet issue phaser in hand, pointed at the back of Chakotay's head.  
  
Milkor was standing beside the chair to Chakotay's right, a nondescript expression on his face. It was he who spoke first. "Well Captain, we have given you all the time we are willing to. What is your answer?"  
  
Moving to the center of the command level, Janeway stood tall and squared her shoulders. "I have decided to provide you with what you asked for Councilor. But I wish to meet with you and Minister Gremnet to discuss terms before I comply. I'm sure you realize that I am concerned that no more of my people are placed in danger until we have finished providing you with what you asked for. I would also like to discuss the conditions to secure the final release of those you currently hold captive."  
  
Chakotay listened to her words with deep concern. He knew she would never have agreed to this if she wasn't up to something. His instincts told him that she was buying time. For what he had no idea, but it would probably be in their best interests if he made it look as real as possible. He was in agony, and he knew she would be able to see it over the view screen. He hoped that no matter how bad he looked, and no matter how authentic what he was about to say would sound, it wouldn't sway her from her course.  
  
"Kathryn... no! You can't do this... you can't help them!" He deliberately used her first name instead of her rank as he knew the others in the group would interpret it as an attempt to add a level of sincerity to his plea.  
  
Gremnet turned the butt of the phaser toward Chakotay and struck him across the back of the head with it, knocking him senseless for several seconds. As he shook off the cobwebs, he heard his captain's voice.  
  
"Milkor, call off that animal of yours before I change my mind!" she shouted.  
  
Gremnet stared at her with utter contempt, but he held his tongue. It would not help them to aggravate her further at this point. She was agreeing to cooperate. He personally felt that this entire situation was all her fault. Damn this arrogant woman and her meddling. If they didn't desperately need the technology that Voyager could offer, he would have made her pay long ago. Biting his lip, he swallowed his bad attitude and hoped that he might still get the chance to personally teach her a lesson.  
  
Hearing nothing from either of them, Janeway continued. "Do you agree to my request?"  
  
She observed that Milkor made no attempt to deal with Gremnet this time, and she considered it a useful piece of information. Over their last several conversations she had picked up on a number of clues that Gremnet was really the one running this show and that Milkor was simply a figurehead, of course it was what he did best, why should he change now? She had been surprised at his behavior with Crewman Russell. That incident had given her the idea that he was not completely in support of Gremnet's methods, but while he was a random variable, and the least predictable in this equation, in the end, she was fairly certain that he would ultimately allow Gremnet to do as he pleased.  
  
"Very well Captain. We will meet with you. A security detail will meet you at the main cavern entrance in twenty minutes. If you are not there by then I will give Gremnet permission to execute your first officer."  
  
"Understood. Twenty minutes."  
  
Milkor was about to turn away from the screen and then he changed his mind and addressed her again. "And you will come alone."  
  
Janeway was not at all surprised by this last demand, as a matter of fact she had expected it, but she acted as if she were anyway. Turning her head slightly she was able to pick up Harry and Seven in her peripheral vision. The two of them were working furiously at the ops console and seemed frustrated. Turning her attention back to the screen she responded to Milkor. "You can't expect me to..."  
  
Also as expected, Milkor interrupted her. "I said you will come alone. I give you my word that you will not be harmed, but I'm sure you can understand that we must take precautions of our own."  
  
"Very well, I agree if it will lead to the release of my people."  
  
"That is entirely up to you Captain. Twenty minutes." And with that last statement the transmission ended.  
  
Chakotay heard this exchange and became even more concerned. She was taking a significant risk if she was meeting with them at all, much less alone. He didn't like it, not at all, but there was no way for him to know exactly what she and the others were up to. He would simply need to remain alert and hope that he had the opportunity to prepare the others in the detention center for any eventuality. He wouldn't be able to do anything from this position though, and he soon found himself praying that they would return him to his cell soon.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway turned fully toward Harry and Seven and the former Borg looked up at her and shook her head. "We were unable to properly configure the signal Captain. It proved impossible to overcome the interference and accurately deflect the transporter to the detention center through the Flyer. The signal degradation was simply too great. We will have to rely on Lieutenant Torres and the others."  
  
"Understood." The more they had discussed this alternative in detail in finalizing their plans for the rescue it became clear there was a high chance of failure. She truly felt bad for the two of them, even with the slim chance of success it had been worth trying. She knew that at least part of their disappointment was that, had they been successful, Janeway would not have had to go through with a meeting on the planet. "Update Tom and the team on the Flyer to our situation. I have an appointment to keep." she said as she headed for the stairs to the turbolift. Instead of taking the shorter route to her left, she took the somewhat longer passage to the right, stopping to stand in front of the ops station.  
  
Looking at the two she offered some consolation. "Good work you two. I know you did your best. We knew it was a long shot going in. Now I need the two of you to put it behind you and focus on the back up plan." she said with a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.  
  
"You can count on us. Good luck Captain." The young ensign said, concern for her evident in his voice.  
  
Patting his arm as she passed she said, "Thanks Harry. I'll be back before you know it."  
  
And with that she continued on her way to the turbolift, tapping her comm badge as she entered and the door closed behind her. "Janeway to Tuvok."  
  
"Tuvok here Captain." Tuvok was in the shuttle bay making final preparations to take the Captain to the planet for her meeting. He didn't like what they were about to do, but their overall plan was logical. He had learned early in his life that sometimes the logical path came with its own brand of uncertainty and discomfort.  
  
"You heard?" she asked.  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry that Seven and Ensign Kim were unsuccessful and that our mission is now necessary. We can depart as soon as you arrive."  
  
"Any word from Tom and the others?"  
  
The Doctor and Ayala had stayed behind on the planet and were mobilizing with the Veret. They were right now on their way toward a confrontation with the last defenses the Hakonene had protecting the main cavern entrance and the route to the administration building. If their timing was right, Janeway would arrive for her negotiations approximately thirty minutes before the Veret and their companions from Voyager would break through those defenses.  
  
"They are on schedule Captain. I have also been informed that Lieutenant Torres, Neelix and their team are in position as well as Ambassador Lukar, Ensign Paris, and the team on the Flyer."  
  
"Good. I'll be there shortly."  
  
Listening to the quiet hum of the turbolift, her thoughts again wandered to the fact that so many of her senior staff were involved in possibly dangerous circumstances. But she would have it no other way. All of them could be counted on to do their best and would have resented being left out of the action simply because she was bothered by having so many of them directly involved in a mission at the same time. She also knew all of them were terribly worried about Chakotay and the others, as was she. The image of her first officer in considerable pain and again being abused by his captors never left her. Gremnet should be made to pay for his actions and she silently hoped she would be one of those lucky enough to collect on the debt.  
  
TBC 


	22. Part 22

At Face Value - Part 22  
  
Written - 1/04  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 22  
  
Chakotay was granted his wish. Several minutes after the transmission with Janeway was over, Milkor, Gremnet and several of the guards left the detention area, presumably to make arrangements for the Captain's visit. In the process they must have left instructions for Chakotay to be returned to his cell because two guards had now moved over to him and were untying his bonds. The relief he felt when they lifted him from the chair and half carried, half dragged, him back to the cell was rivaled only by the excruciating pain in his leg as it hung lifelessly below him. Fortunately the trip was a short one and he was soon again seated on the cot with his back against the wall.  
  
Once they were certain it was alright to move around, Russell and one of the security officers came over to him while the rest of those in the cell carried on several conversations to divert the attention of the guards. "Are you alright Commander?" asked Russell softly.  
  
Chakotay looked at her with a small smile. "I'm ok Crewman. I have to admit, I've had better days, but I've also had worse. Listen, I'm glad the two of you came over here. There are a few things I think we need to discuss. Once I pass this information on to you, I want you to make sure that the others are informed as well. If at all possible, I want the Hakonene and the Veret that are being held captive to know as well. All the cells are occupied so it should be fairly easy to get word around to everyone."  
  
The two of them looked at each other and then back at Chakotay, completely absorbed in whatever it was that he might have to say.  
  
He took the intensity of their expressions as a good sign and began what he had to say. "Listen, this is going to sound a little strange to you after what you just heard, but I'm certain that the Captain has some kind of plan to get us out of here that had absolutely nothing to do with giving in to their demands."  
  
"But Commander, she said..."  
  
Chakotay interrupted Russell before she could finish. "You'll just have to trust me on this Crewman. First of all, no Starfleet Captain will give into the kind of intimidation that Gremnet and Milkor are employing, no matter how personally difficult it may be. In this case, there is a direct violation of the Prime Directive at stake as well. Secondly, I happen to know this particular Starfleet Captain extremely well. She thinks she can get us out of here or she would not have agreed to meet with them."  
  
He hesitated for the briefest of moments to make sure that he had their full attention. Their silence was confirmation and he continued. "We need to be ready for anything. There is only one way in or out of here. If a rescue party were to come down that tunnel, the guards would likely have ample time to react, and that could put all of us in real danger. I want those of you on the security detail to put your heads together and come up with a way we can protect ourselves and possibly even take the offensive should the opportunity present itself. Don't worry about knowing when the time is right, leave that to me, just be ready."  
  
The security officer nodded curtly. "Aye Sir."  
  
"Russell, give them a hand. You've spent some time in engineering and ops, you just might have something meaningful to contribute."  
  
"Yes Commander." She looked afraid and uncertain, but to her credit, she also sounded determined to do as requested. "Can I get you some water before I get back to the others?"  
  
"I'd appreciate that, thank you." he said, his battered body slowly insisting on reminding him exactly what he had been through recently.  
  
=/\=  
  
It had been cramped on the Flyer with two full away teams crammed into it until B'Elanna and her group were dropped off on their way to execute their part of the mission and Tom and Lukar now sat in the cockpit waiting for her to give them the go ahead for theirs. With the failure of the effort from Voyager, both were keenly aware that a large part of the plan now rested on her and her team. Tom was preoccupied with their last conversation before they had been beamed to the surface. She was apprehensive, the stress of the last few days beginning to take its toll. She had been running on sheer determination now for some time, her desire not to let the Captain and Chakotay down motivating her in ways she would have found difficult to muster on her own.  
  
Tom was proud of her, and had told her so, knowing that she could use the encouragement, but he was still concerned. She had risen to the occasion in spite of her general emotional state before the visit to this planet began, effectively leading more than her fair share of critical missions, but she still doubted herself. The way she described it, she felt as if she was walking a tightrope that was burning at one end and it was only a matter of time before it snapped. She was worried that the Captain was tempting fate by time and again putting her in charge of critical aspects of their overall objective. He had tried to reassure her that she was up to the challenge, but he couldn't help but think that her frame of mind could possibly cause exactly the result she was so concerned about, failure.  
  
"You seem preoccupied Ensign, is there something wrong?" inquired the Ambassador.  
  
Tom shook his head, his gaze focused on the carpeting. "Nothing I can do anything about."  
  
"If it's our mission you're worried about, we will be successful. We must."  
  
Lukar's words were a help. He was right. There was no choice in the matter. Lives hung in the balance. They must succeed. B'Elanna obviously felt it as deeply as any of them, maybe more so in her own way, and she had never failed in a crisis, not in all the time he had known her. Regardless of her misgivings, she would do what she had to, as would they all. Tom looked up at the Ambassador. "You're right Ambassador, thank you."  
  
The two smiled at each other and then settled into a comfortable silence as they continued to wait for word from B'Elanna that all was ready.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway stepped into the Council chamber with more than a little trepidation. As soon as she was completely inside the door, it was closed behind her and she was approached by a security guard who stepped in front of her began to roughly search her. She lifted her arms to allow him easier access at the same time lifting her head to the ceiling and rolling her eyes.  
  
When the guard was finished he stepped back away from her and turned to face the others in the room. "I cannot find any weapons Gremnet."  
  
Janeway lowered her hands to her hips, and her eyes to glare at the Minister of Security. "You honestly didn't think I was crazy enough to bring a weapon with me did you?"  
  
The Minister said nothing and she responded in kind by lowering her eyes and shaking her head. She had indeed brought a weapon. There was a miniature phaser tucked inside her boot. She had every reason to believe that she would be searched when she arrived, but was equally sure that the search was not likely to be thorough. It was a hunch, but it turned out to be an accurate one. Unless they requested her to remove her clothing, they would never have found the small but powerful item. She was also somewhat reassured by the fact that the subdermal transmitter she had implanted in her forearm several days before as a precaution when meeting the Veret was still intact and ready for use if needed.  
  
She quickly ran the current mission plan in her head. As she stood taking stock of the situation she was in, she knew that Tuvok was hovering overhead in a runabout followed closely by a second shuttle filled to the gunwales with armed security officers. She was also aware that Jomar and more than one hundred Veret, all those left that could walk and carry a weapon, were no more than thirty minutes from a confrontation with the Hakonene guarding the main cavern. It would likely only be a few more minutes before word would reach the administration building as one of the Hakonene sentries was bound to notice that many warriors headed their way. The weather was not severe enough to either hinder or hide their progress.  
  
While all this was taking place, B'Elanna and a team were already finding their way through the caverns from another location. Their mission, to access the communications station that Lukar had used when he contacted Chakotay and to use the equipment to activate the booster signal that had previously allowed them to transport to the surface. Once done, they would relay the transmission to the Delta Flyer and the security team on board. Their job was to beam in to the detention center, secure it and wait. There was only one complication. Janeway would need to be there to guarantee the accuracy of the transport. They would use the signal from the transmitter in her arm to fix the transporter to the exact location. Otherwise, there would be a significantly higher risk to the mission. B'Elanna would carry out her orders no matter what, but she sincerely hoped that they would be able to have that additional element to ensure success.  
  
What they were about to attempt was the most complex offensive mission she had ever been responsible for. It would require flawless timing, incredible courage, and more than a little luck. And hers was an important part of the plan. She needed to stall, to buy time for the others to get themselves into position and execute.  
  
Milkor's words finally broke the silence. "Welcome Captain."  
  
"I'm not here for small talk Councilor. I'm here to arrange for the release of my crewmembers in your custody. I have taken the liberty of bringing with me a team of engineers on a small shuttle. They are in a shuttle outside the main entrance awaiting my orders to assist you with your repairs. However, they will return to Voyager unless I give them instructions within the next hour."  
  
"I'm glad to see you are taking this so seriously Captain. We were wondering why there was another shuttle in visual range when you arrived. Gremnet here was concerned that it might be some kind of trick." Milkor said with a wave of his hand toward the Minister who sat at the far end of the table and looked decidedly unhappy.  
  
Janeway quickly took stock of the room and the others in it with her. Milkor and Gremnet were both present and were seated at the large conference table. There were also four other Hakonene in evidence. All of them armed security personnel. "There will be no tricks Councilor. I am as interested in the safe return of my crew as you are in my assistance. My only demand is that you allow me to see the prisoners for myself before I give the order for my engineering team to approach. I'm sure you can understand that I cannot go through with any assistance until I know for certain that my people are alive and well."  
  
Milkor and Gremnet exchanged a knowing glance and then Gremnet spoke. "We anticipated that you would ask to see them Captain." he said, his tone positively dripping with contempt as he pronounced her title. "That is why we insisted that you come alone. We had no intention of allowing the opportunity for you to bring a detachment with you. I can arrange for you to see your people if it will expedite your cooperation."  
  
Gremnet then motioned to the guard that had searched her only moments earlier. He pulled a long dark strip of cloth from his pocket and approached the Captain. She raised her hand and flinched as he approached.  
  
Gremnet was immediately on his feet, the last of his restraint now gone. "You will allow us to blindfold you Captain or you will not be allowed to see the prisoners!"  
  
At this point, discretion was the better part of valor. She had to get into the detention center and activate the transmitter, no matter what. It would be even better if she was able to get Milkor and Gremnet there with her and the team could capture them in the process. The rest of their operation would go much more smoothly if the two of them were out of the way and Lukar and the others could discuss matters with the remaining members of the Ruling Council without feeling threatened.  
  
Lowering her hand, she gave silent permission for the guard to place the blindfold over her eyes, and entered a world where the rest of her senses immediately became hypersensitive, particularly her hearing. Standing in darkness, she was slightly startled when she felt someone gently grasp her elbow and begin to lead to her through the room.  
  
=/\=  
  
B'Elanna and her team climbed silently over the last rock outcropping and dropped behind a handful of large boulders that stood between them and their goal. She was followed closely by the Hakonene that had escaped with Lukar as well as Neelix and a small group of security officers from Voyager. From what they could see at a distance, the transmission station was in shambles, the result of the scuffle there not so long ago. Many of the glass windows were smashed and there were items of furniture still strewn around the outside of the facility.  
  
As they suspected, it was occupied. From their vantage point they could clearly see half a dozen sentries and two technicians. Lukar had informed them that this was more than likely the station they were using to continue to contact Voyager and relay the transmissions from the detention center and the administration building. The transmission station closer in proximity to the main cavern had been failing with increasing frequency ever since being taxed to its limit with the arrival of Voyager and her crew.  
  
Neelix slid along the ground and dropped low next to the Lieutenant. "Fifteen minutes B'Elanna."  
  
She looked down at him. "We'll be ready." Looking back over her shoulder, she addressed the two other commanders in her group, one led the Hakonene and would take out the sentries, and the other led the Voyager detachment which was a combination of security, operations and engineering personnel. Their job was to subdue the technicians and operate the equipment. "You know what to do. On my command."  
  
It was over in a matter of minutes with no casualties on the offensive side. Unfortunately one of the Hakonene sentries at the station had been killed when a stray blast from his own energy weapon dislodged a large rock formation directly above him. The remainder of the defenders were now bound and gagged and contained in a small cave like area behind the station that extended approximately ten meters off of the main cavern.  
  
B'Elanna, Neelix and the other technical staff with her were now at work in the station making sure they knew exactly how to work the controls until they were ready to test the communication link with the Delta Flyer. At first there was only static, but a quick adjustment by one of the engineers and they were ready. "Away team to Delta Flyer, come in." said the engineer manning the audio transmitter.  
  
"Ensign Paris here, go ahead."  
  
Neelix tapped his comm badge in order to test their ability to communicate through their comm badges now that they had tapped into the signal booster. "Tom, it's Neelix, can you hear me okay."  
  
"Loud and clear Neelix. Sounds as though we're all set. Now all we can do is wait for the Captain to do her part."  
  
B'Elanna tapped her badge and joined the conversation. "Everything ready up there Tom?"  
  
"We're all set as soon as we receive the Captain's signal." He thought for a moment and continued. "Don't worry. We'll be fine. Paris out."  
  
She smiled and said under her breath, "Good luck." Then she turned to the others. "Okay, we're secure here. Those of you coming with me, get ready. Neelix, you're in charge here. Keep an eye on things, and no matter what, keep that signal booster up and running."  
  
"Yes Ma'am." he exclaimed with a small salute.  
  
She gave him a pat on the shoulder and headed for the doorway. Lukar and the other Hakonene knew the way from the transmission station through the tunnels to the main cavern. As a matter of fact, the path would lead them to a side access off the main tunnel to the detention center. The plan being for all the teams to converge on the administration building and the detention center, and in the process, cut off all viable means of escape in case something were to go wrong.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay's team had come up with a plausible plan, but still hoped it wouldn't be needed. Just as he finished discussing it with two of the officers in the cell beside him, they noticed a decided increase in activity by the guards. An additional guard had entered through the tunnel, spoken to the guard in charge, and within seconds all the remaining guards were quietly informed of whatever it was and as a result appeared to become more vigilant in their duties. Several moments later an entourage of six additional guards entered the detention area and fanned out in front of the cells, spacing themselves relatively evenly throughout the facility. All of the occupants of the cells took notice and took up positions of their own just as had been communicated to them by the Voyager crew.  
  
Chakotay even gingerly pulled himself to a standing position again, holding tightly to the bars of the cell door. There was an uneasy quiet in the room until they could clearly hear another group of individuals approaching through the tunnel. To their surprise, the group was led by Gremnet, closely followed by Milkor and another guard, the guard leading none other than a blindfolded Kathryn Janeway by the arm.  
  
Gremnet and Milkor stopped several meters inside the room, but the guard continued to lead the Captain farther into the room. When they reached the center of the open area, the guard stopped, leaving her standing alone and returned to stand behind Gremnet. "You may remove your blindfold now." he said in a surprisingly soft voice.  
  
She reached up and tore it from her head, tossing it to the ground and rubbing her eyes briefly in order to convince them to focus.  
  
"Captain." Chakotay called to her from somewhere to her right.  
  
Turning her head, she could not believe her eyes. All of her crew missing crew were standing there, side by side, in a total of three cells. They were accompanied by several Hakonene, with the exception of Chakotay, who stood awkwardly and alone in his cell. Quickly passing her gaze around the room, she observed that there were several other Hakonene and a number of Veret. She knew one of the Veret was Jomar's son, but she had no way of knowing which one was him, so she satisfied herself with the knowledge that all of her crewmembers were alive and well and that she was about to make sure they stayed that way.  
  
Turning back to formally acknowledge Chakotay, she was unable to keep the concern she felt for him from her eyes. "Commander." she said. "Is everyone alright?"  
  
"Yes Captain."  
  
She swallowed hard. "And you?"  
  
"I'll be fine."  
  
As Chakotay continued to watch her, she made an obvious production of pushing up the sleeve of her parka and pressing two fingers against the inside of her left arm near her wrist. At first, he couldn't figure out what she was doing. Then it dawned on him, the transmitter. He quickly looked at her chest near her shoulder and noticed that her communicator was nowhere in sight. Gremnet must have been smart enough to remove it from her knowing that at the very least it was a communication device and that it would not be wise to let her see the prisoners with it in her possession.  
  
Gremnet was also watching and became curious what she was up to. "Something wrong with your arm Captain?" he inquired, his voice taking on a decidedly dangerous tone.  
  
"No Gremnet, everything's fine. But I truly thank you for your concern." she said as she pulled her sleeve back down over her arm.  
  
Her sarcasm wasn't lost on him in any way and he began to move toward her. "Alright, you've seen them. Times up, let's get down to business, shall we."  
  
Chakotay could not believe that the next thing he saw her do was wink at him as she turned to move toward Gremnet. "Not before I get a closer look at my first officer. Regardless of what he says, he doesn't look well to me. I want to be sure he is well enough..."  
  
Her words were interrupted by an alarm bell from high in the cavern ceiling.  
  
"What is that." demanded Milkor.  
  
"It's the intruder alert." Yelled Gremnet. "Someone find out what's going on." He said as he shoved one of his guards toward the communication station in the wall. Within seconds the guard was back.  
  
"We're under attack Minister." the guard stated sounding nervous and breathless. "The Veret have engaged our defensive forces at the entrance to the main cavern."  
  
Gremnet looked at Janeway knowingly. "You have something to do with this don't you?"  
  
"Why would you think that Minister? I'm as surprised by this as you are."  
  
"Liar!" he said as he swung the back of his hand in her direction, making contact with her cheek before she could duck out of the way.  
  
She could not help but recoil at the intensity of the strike, but to her credit, she resumed her original position swiftly, touching her cheek with the back of her own hand, and moving her jaw around in a circular motion. "I hope you live long enough to regret that Gremnet." she said in a dangerously low tone.  
  
Chakotay watched the action with deep concern. Something else was about to happen, he just didn't know what, but he could guess based on the fact that she had activated the transmitter. Before he could protest the treatment of his commanding officer, the characteristic shimmer of a wide pattern transporter beam could be seen materializing at the opposite end of the detention center from the tunnel. Before any of the Hakonene guards were able to identify what was happening, there were a dozen Voyager security officers standing with their phasers drawn and flanked by Lukar and Tom Paris.  
  
With that, Chakotay took the opportunity to order the rest of the prisoners into action. "Ok people, it's now or never!" And as phaser fire began to flash around the detention center, the prisoners in the adjacent cell picked up a cot from the floor, turned it on end, and using it as a battering ram, ran it headlong into the cell door. The prisoners in cells where there were simply not enough of them to be strong enough to bring down the door, also flipped their cots, but pulled them as far back against the back of the cell as they could, and hid behind them. It was flimsy cover at best, but it was something.  
  
Meanwhile, the away team was doing a marvelous job of dropping the guards one by one. The only problem was, those very same guards, startled by what was happening, were firing randomly in all directions resulting in an extremely chaotic encounter.  
  
Hearing a scream next to him, Tom turned his head just in time to see one of Voyager's security team go down in agony. His suffering lasted only a second or two and he was dead, a huge smoking energy burn spreading across his chest. Tom got off a few cover shots and then ducked down and placed his hand on the man's neck, knowing what he would find there, but wanting to be sure before turning his attention back to the battle.  
  
Seconds later, the door to the cell finally gave way, and the increased mass of aggressors, and the added confusion, made short work of subduing the remaining guards, the entire affair over in a matter of a few minutes with most of the guards eventually dropped to the ground by the skillful phaser fire of the security team, their phasers on stun. Milkor had hidden in a corner and was now being taken into custody. Having no weapon, he had decided to get out of the way rather that risk injury or death.  
  
Unfortunately, Janeway now found herself in much the same position that Russell had been in not so long ago. Her timing had been almost perfect, almost. If she had been anywhere but within arms length of Gremnet, things could have ended differently, but fate had seen fit to place her in just about the worst position she could possibly be in when the rescue party arrived. Tom and Lukar both turned and simultaneously caught sight of Gremnet and Janeway. Raising their weapons in their general direction, they both intended to subdue Gremnet, but neither could find c clear shot while Gremnet held her so close to him with a phaser to her head.  
  
It didn't take long for everyone else's attention to be drawn to the same place. They all stood stock still and Chakotay's heart leapt from his chest to his throat. "Gremnet let her go. It's over. Can't you see that?" he shouted through the bars of his cell door.  
  
Gremnet's answer was to turn the phaser toward Voyager's first officer and fire.  
  
Chakotay saw it coming, and had the presence of mind to dive out of the way, leaving the blast to harmlessly strike the wall behind him. The commotion was just enough for many of the observers to turn their attention toward him, and as he raised his head from the ground, providing evidence to those around him that he was indeed alright, he was just in time to see Gremnet take advantage of the situation and forcibly drag the Captain backwards up the tunnel, effectively using her as a human shield.  
  
"Tom, take a team and follow them! Quickly!" Chakotay ordered from his cell, just as a group of Voyager security guards were beginning to free the remaining prisoners.  
  
"Aye Sir!" he exclaimed in response. Pointing to several of the security team, he motioned for them to follow him, and together they ran out of the detention center and into the tunnel.  
  
TBC 


	23. Part 23

At Face Value - Part 23  
  
Written - 2/04  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 23  
  
Chakotay continued to pull himself from the floor even as the door to his cell was opened and several officers rushed in to help him to his feet, Lukar among them. The remaining officers were freeing the rest of the prisoners from their cells but keeping them contained in the detention center. The Veret seemed somewhat uncertain, but caused no trouble, their depleted physical conditions and their confusion largely preventing them from thinking of anything else to do for the time being.  
  
As if the last few minutes had not been enough cause for excitement, there was the sound of a skirmish of some kind now coming from the tunnel. The Voyager security team took up defensive positions within the detention center and on either side of the tunnel entrance, quickly making themselves ready for whatever situation was about to present itself.  
  
They didn't have long to wait. After a few shouts and energy weapon blasts were heard, all was again quiet until the voices of several people could be heard in low whispers just beyond the tunnel entrance. Everyone held their breath, expecting the worst, until they heard Ayala call out from the tunnel. "Commander Chakotay, is everything under control, what's your status?"  
  
"All clear." he said, motioning for those helping him to move him across the detention center to the tunnel entrance. The sound of the Commander's voice, and seconds later, the sight of him being helped across the room by his own crewmembers, confirmed his statement. Seconds later, Ayala, the Doctor, and a small army of Veret warriors, including Jomar, spilled into the detention center.  
  
Chakotay literally dove at the Doctor and grasped him by the material around the neck of his uniform, effectively getting his attention and preventing his own fall to the ground at the same time. "Did you see her?" he muttered, varying degrees of pain and concern layered in his voice.  
  
"Who Commander?" the Doctor said, as he tried to assist him in staying upright.  
  
"The Captain... Captain Janeway... Gremnet dragged her out of here only moments before you arrived, right through that tunnel." He was gasping now as he pointed in the direction the group had just come from, the pain in his leg excruciating from all the movement in the last few minutes.  
  
Jomar stepped up from behind the Doctor, "You say Gremnet has taken your Captain?"  
  
Chakotay looked up, and quite a distance at that. This must be the infamous Jomar. After all this time, Chakotay was finally meeting the one whose people they had risked so much for. He was a very big man, significantly larger than Chakotay, and even larger than most of the other Veret. Chakotay was impressed, but there would be time to get acquainted later. "Yes. They ran out through the tunnel. I sent several of my officers after them. I don't know how you could have missed them."  
  
"We saw no one." Jomar replied.  
  
Lukar moved into the conversation, dragging Milkor in his wake. Once he'd spotted and gotten his hands on the Councilor, he wasn't about to let him out of his sight without good cause. "There is a side tunnel off of the guard's quarters. It leads into the caverns. They must have gone through there."  
  
"We must follow them." said Jomar, intent on helping find Janeway and keep her from harm, but before he could act on his concern, he caught a glimpse of a familiar face out of the corner of his eye, moving through the crowd toward him. Not two meters from him was his son, dirty and disheveled, with cuts and bruises covering his face and hands, and he had very obviously lost a considerable amount of weight. Jomar pushed several people aside until he was standing toe to toe with the young man. How he could have temporarily have forgotten about him, even in all the confusion, he did not know, but now there was nothing standing in his way. Jomar pushed his way through the last of the crowd and pulled the young man toward him, almost lifting him completely from the ground. "Lek, I thought you were dead." he whispered in his ear.  
  
"I'm very much alive father, and very happy to see you. I knew you would eventually come for us."  
  
Stepping back away from Lek, Jomar kept his hand grasped around his son's arms. "We will have time for a proper reunion later. For now I must help a friend who is in danger. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes father."  
  
"These people will take good care of you until I return." As Jomar said this, he turned and looked directly at the Doctor.  
  
"He will receive the best of care Jomar. I can assure you of that."  
  
Jomar nodded and then turned his attention to Chakotay. "We will bring Janeway back." Then he spoke to Lukar. "You will show me the way?"  
  
Lukar wasted no time. "Yes, come with me." Turning quickly to Chakotay, Lukar handed custody of Milkor over to one of the Voyager officers nearby. "I trust you'll watch Councilor Milkor until I return?"  
  
"With pleasure." Chakotay said without hesitation. Then he watched as the two headed back through the detention center and toward the tunnel. Grabbing Ayala he ordered, "Go with them."  
  
"Aye Sir." replied Ayala, already following through on the order before Chakotay was finished uttering it.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway had spend the last few minutes trying not to trip in the semi- darkness of the tunnel as Gremnet forced her in front of him, continually wrenching her arm painfully behind her back. She hoped that before too long he would find this method of travel cumbersome and release her. Even if he threatened her with the phaser, it would be a simple matter of reactivating the transmitter and the team on the Flyer would have her out of here in a heartbeat, maybe less. Unfortunately, from this position, there was no way for her to reach and activate the device.  
  
As if reading her thoughts, Gremnet stopped, and for a moment she honestly thought he was going to let go of her. For several long painful seconds there was nothing but the sound of heavier than normal breathing, the result of the exertion of their flight from the detention center. They'd run for quite a distance through the tunnel before stopping, and in an awkward position, remaining upright and keeping from severely turning an ankle on the loose gravel proving to be quite a challenge for her.  
  
Suddenly and without warning, Gremnet did move, but it wasn't to release her. The next thing she knew, she was violently flung forward over a large boulder, her already bruised cheek scraping across the rough surface. Gremnet was skillful, he knew exactly how to keep her pinned in such a way that she couldn't leverage him off of her, and as there was nothing she could do to stop it, her hands were quickly tied behind her back in such a manner that there would now be absolutely no chance of activating the transmitter and transporting out of this predicament, her comm badge not an option either as it had long ago been removed when she had first arrived. What was even worse was the thought that the phaser in her shoe would be no good to her either.  
  
She felt Gremnet's hand grab her painfully around her upper arm, lift her back to her feet, and turn her completely around to face him. He stood directly in front of her, the phaser pointed at her chest. Deciding to break the silence, she asked a question. "Now what Gremnet?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough." he said, obviously stalling for time as well as to catch his breath after their run.  
  
She smirked at him. "That's it isn't it?"  
  
"And what would that mean Janeway?"  
  
"You have no idea what to do now do you? You simply grabbed the nearest life insurance policy, another convenient hostage, and ran from the fray."  
  
He looked at her, obviously more than a little angry, but he did not reply.  
  
"You've been doing that all along haven't you? Your entire operation, taking over the Council, taking the hostages, threatening me into cooperating with you, it's all been a ruse. You and Milkor tried to make it sound as though you were in control of everything, but in reality you've simply been reacting to circumstances, forcing your will on everyone else, and trying to take advantage of them to gain my cooperation."  
  
"You can't really expect me to explain any of that to you. Right or wrong, I wouldn't give you the satisfaction. You have no idea what we have been through, no idea what my ancestors escaped from and how hard it was for us to establish a life here. One little encounter with the Veret, and you turned on us. Why? How did that barbarian manage to sway you Captain. I can only imagine what he could have done to gain your loyalty. You and that Lieutenant of yours spent quite some time alone and unprotected with them didn't you." He practically spat the words at her as he spoke.  
  
She didn't like the accusation in his words at all, but it would do no good for her to allow it to distract her. He was deliberately trying to anger her, and give voice to his own hatred in the process. "I've learned a good deal about the Hakonene and the Veret as people while I've been here Gremnet, and you know what I've learned?" She didn't give him a chance to respond to that question, she simply forged ahead. "I've learned they are both fundamentally good people, in spite of some of those who have had the privilege to lead them. Give this up while you still have the chance to redeem yourself and possibly save your own life."  
  
There was silence for a time and then the look on his face changed from contempt to amusement. "It that some kind of a threat Janeway?" he looked at her with a huge grin on his face for a long moment, one she didn't like the look of. "Enough talk, move." he said, waving the phaser a direction that would take them deeper into the tunnel.  
  
=/\=  
  
Several Voyager security guards had carried Chakotay into the office beside the detention center and laid him on the table at the Doctor's insistence. As he checked on the Commander's condition with a tricorder, he brought him up to speed on all that had transpired in the last hour or so, at least those events the Commander had not been witness to. The Veret had ceased their advance into the main cavern as soon as they had gained control of the administration building. At this very moment, they were holding the members of the Ruling Council there until Lukar could again take control of the situation. The Hakonene defensive forces were standing by, unwilling to risk the lives of their leaders in an attempt to retake the building. For the moment, it was a quiet standoff, just what the Captain had hoped for. The Doctor also informed him that Tuvok and a fairly numerous security force were with the Veret and the presence of the Voyager officers was helping keep the situation calm.  
  
"Your leg will require surgery Commander. I suggest we get you back to the ship as soon as possible. Your other injuries must also be quite painful, although they will require only minor treatment." the Doctor saying all this without ever raising his eyes from the tricorder.  
  
"I'm not leaving until we know what's going on with Captain Janeway." he said, attempting to sit up.  
  
The Doctor reached a hand to help him. "I'm as concerned about her as you are Commander, but I'm afraid there is nothing you can do for her at the moment."  
  
Chakotay sat there despairing over the accuracy of the Doctor's statement, but only briefly before an idea occurred to him. "Doctor, how did Tom and Lukar's team get here?"  
  
"They were transported from the Delta Flyer. When Lieutenant Torres and Neelix gained control of one of the Hakonene transmission stations, they were able to re-activate the signal booster and lock onto the signal from the transmitter in the Captain's arm."  
  
The smile that spread across the Commander's face couldn't have been any broader. "Who's piloting the Flyer?"  
  
"I'm not sure Commander, but I know the Captain ordered the Flyer and two shuttles under Tuvok's command to remain in close proximity to the main cavern entrance until they received further orders. Meaning no disrespect, but as she is otherwise occupied, I imagine that places them at your disposal.  
  
"Thank you for confirming that for me Doctor. I'm glad I have your approval to take command. Now, help me up."  
  
=/\=  
  
B'Elanna and her team were making good progress in their trek through the caverns toward the detention center. Given the information that Lukar and the other Hakonene had provided, they were rapidly approaching their destination. She was a bit surprised when her comm badge beeped, but knew that it was likely to be an important message. She stopped and held up her hand to halt the group. "Torres here. Go ahead." she inquired, glad that the signal booster was still functioning as planned.  
  
"B'Elanna, it's Tom. The operations in the detention center and the administration building went well and both areas are under control, but we've got another problem."  
  
She was a bit concerned that he sounded out of breath and as if he were moving rapidly, almost running. "What is it, Tom?" she replied.  
  
"Gremnet managed to escape and take the Captain with him. We're after them now but they got enough of a head start that it's been difficult to track them. Every time the cavern floor transitions from dirt to gravel we have to slow down and fan out until we pick up their trail again. I wanted to let you know to be on your guard and keep your eye out for them. With any luck we'll pin them between us."  
  
"Why didn't the Flyer just beam her out?"  
  
"She simply may not have been able to activate the transmitter and her comm badge is missing. He was handling her pretty roughly when they ran out."  
  
"Understood, we'll be on the look out for them. Torres out." Turning to the four others with her, two Hakonene and two Voyager security guards, she said, "Okay, seems we have a hostage situation on our hands gentlemen. Let's slow our pace a little and stay alert."  
  
The five of them drew their weapons and resumed their progress but with more than a little apprehension.  
  
=/\=  
  
Unbeknownst to Janeway there were now a total of twelve individuals chasing after her and Gremnet, five in front and the remaining seven behind. B'Elanna and the four from the team that raided the transmission station, Tom and the three officers with him, and the group trailing them consisting of Jomar, Lukar and Ayala.  
  
The view in front of her had been nothing but a dim and shadowy path which wound its way alternately through boulder strewn grottos, into high rock walled passageways, through dark tunnels and along narrow ledges beside steep drops into black nothingness. The trail had gotten rougher as they went and the floor of the cavern was becoming increasingly rockier. She knew that someone would undoubtedly be following them in an attempt to rescue her and that there would be few tracks for anyone to follow on such ground, but had been somewhat comforted that, up till now, there had really been only one direction to go in. Her luck was about to change.  
  
She continued to move forward, scrabbling up one last rocky rise, until she came into a large cavern, large enough even for Voyager to sit comfortably inside. The ceiling was impossibly high, broken occasionally by bright silver slivers, openings in the ceiling that allowed streams of light inside. She instantly realized that the brightness indicated that the weather must be good enough on the surface to allow direct light from the distant sun to break through the clouds. It cast and eerily beautiful glow throughout the expanse. Unfortunately, her reverie was short lived. Coming to a stop just inside the cavern after emerging from the tunnel they had so recently been in, the light allowed her ample view of at least half a dozen other tunnels leading off the main cavern.  
  
It was also immediately obvious that this must have once been someone's home. The crumbling remnants of a stone structure were clearly visible on the extreme far wall. There was a stream with a waterfall nearby, the stream lined by sand on either side. The unique combination of light, water, soil and warmth allowed this cavern to have its own ecosystem, many of the grasses and plants reminding her of the area that she and B'Elanna had occupied before being taken captive by the Veret. She wondered if this could indeed be another section of that very same stream.  
  
Without warning, Gremnet shoved her hard from behind, forcing her to stumble forward several steps. When she came to a stop, she turned and faced him. "That was highly unnecessary Minister."  
  
"Maybe, but it suited the purpose. I now have your undivided attention again, do I not?"  
  
It wasn't really a question and they both knew it, so she chose not to respond to him. She simply shrugged her shoulders to relieve the mild discomfort of his shove, straightened her posture, and waited for him to take the lead.  
  
Using the phaser to point the way again he said, "That way." indicating a narrow and steep path over the edge of the ledge that Janeway hadn't even noticed.  
  
Leaning slightly to look over the edge, she saw that it led down and away from where they now were at a very steep angle with a vertical drop of more than fifty meters. She further observed that it would deposit them beside the stream approximately another thirty meters from the base of the waterfall. It looked treacherous to say the least. "You can't be serious." she muttered.  
  
"Stop complaining and get moving."  
  
"Untie me. If I lose my balance you'll most likely lose the only thing you have to bargain with."  
  
He smiled evilly at her. "Maybe, but I can assure you it will be more painful for you than it is for me. Now move!"  
  
With that, she moved to the top of the path and began to move in the direction he ordered, carefully choosing each and every step as if it might be her last.  
  
=/\=  
  
Jomar, Lukar and Ayala knew they were gaining on Tom and his group. Lukar was familiar with their course and knew that the side tunnels appearing from time to time went nowhere. Therefore he wasted no time searching them, and it gave them a distinct advantage over Tom and his group. They could now occasionally hear them up ahead as they traveled and Ayala decided that it was probably time to try to contact Tom and let him know that help was coming up from behind. "Ayala to Paris. Come in."  
  
"Paris here. Go ahead."  
  
"Tom, I'm with Jomar and Lukar. We're on our way to help you look for the Captain. Hold up for a few minutes so we can close ranks, we can't be more than about five minutes out."  
  
Tom was happy to have the help. If Lukar could navigate the way with more certainty, it would be a great time saver. Tom suspected Lukar was already providing just such assistance as Ayala and the others must have left the detention center several minutes behind them but had still been able to gain ground on them with such apparent ease. "Alright Mike. We'll be waiting for you. Paris out."  
  
Just as Ayala had said, the trailing group joined them almost exactly five minutes later and spent the next several discussing their current situation. Tom let them in on the fact that B'Elanna had a group that was approaching from the transmission station, and Lukar identified that they could make better time with him in the lead as there was only one true path through these caverns for some distance. However, all of them would ultimately converge in a large cavern that had several side tunnels leading deeper underground. They would need to be cautious when arriving there if they had not found Gremnet and the Captain before then, their task becoming more difficult if their quarry were to reach the area unchecked.  
  
Tom quickly contacted B'Elanna again to inform her of this important detail and she agreed to wait for them if she arrived at the cavern first. With that they were again off in pursuit of their Captain and her tormentor.  
  
=/\=  
  
The trek down the path had not taken as long as she would have thought, but it had certainly taken all of her concentration not to tumble headlong over the edge to almost certain serious injury or even death. Gremnet had then forced her to walk through the shallow edge of the stream instead of along the bank in order to prevent leaving any obvious footprints. As they approached the waterfall, he had forced her to climb upward a few meters, pressing one hand to her back to prevent her from falling backward as she was unable to use her hands to gain better purchase. They had stepped through a slim opening between the downpour of water and the rock wall behind it to a long ledge with a ceiling high enough for both of them to stand with no difficulty.  
  
Looking around and assessing her situation, she realized instantly that there was nowhere for her to go, no obvious means of escape. The ledge was no more than ten or twelve meters across and the same distance deep with a gradually sloping roof. It had obviously been hollowed out by the force of the water long before the surrounding softer rock and sand had given way, effectively dropping the base of the falls to its current position. Interestingly enough, she was instantly struck by the fact that while there was no visible means of escape for her, even if she could get her hands free, it also meant there was no visible means of escape for her captor either.  
  
She knew with great certainty that there had to be a rescue team after her even though to this point there had been no sign of them. Gremnet would be equally as certain. He must be hoping that he could hide here until they passed by and eventually gave up the search. What he had in mind after that was of course a complete mystery. Hiding out was a calculated risk and in her opinion, not necessarily a very smart choice, but then again Gremnet had never shown himself to be a very wise tactician.  
  
They hadn't gone more than a few steps before Gremnet was swinging her around to face him. "As you can see, there is no escape."  
  
She glared at him. "Obviously. For you or for me."  
  
"Ah, but you underestimate me Janeway." he said as he reached for her, roughly grabbing her arms and pulling her close to him, close enough that she could feel his breath on her cheek as she turned her face away from him.  
  
She said nothing, an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach and a large lump in her throat forming involuntarily. Her mind instantly made a comparison between Gremnet and Jomar and the distinct difference in their approach to intimidation. Janeway had never truly feared for her own wellbeing in Jomar's presence, not as she did now. She had instinctively recognized in him a sense of honor. He did what he did as a leader, his concern for those in his charge the driving force behind it all. Gremnet was just the opposite, although he would more than likely claim otherwise. Everything he did was out of an innate selfishness, concern for his own wellbeing and status in Hakonene society his only true motivation. At this moment, although all that showed outwardly was her distaste for his proximity to her, she honestly felt afraid.  
  
Gremnet took her reaction as he saw it. "Don't worry woman, I have no interest in you other than as a hostage." Pulling her even closer to him until she could feel his body against hers, he continued, "Although I must admit, it hurts my feelings that you seem to find me so repulsive. Perhaps I should attempt to change your opinion of me."  
  
She turned back to him so quickly that he saw her motion only as a blur. Locking her eyes on his she mustered all of her command presence. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"  
  
Smiling almost knowingly at her, he held her for a moment longer and then forcibly shoved her away from him, tearing the right sleeve of her uniform jacket completely away as he did so, the strength of the action awkwardly wrenching her arms as the material pulled away at her wrist.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay was sitting upright on the biobed in the aft compartment of the Delta Flyer as the Doctor began to treat his injuries. They had agreed that this would be the best place from which to command operations on the planet at the same time allowing the Doctor to do his job.  
  
Chakotay's first communication was to Tuvok and those holding the administration building. Tuvok was assisted in his task by the Veret named Menem as well as the other members of the Ruling Council that had initially escaped with Lukar. Between them, they were managing to control a small Veret army at the same time that they were holding the Hakonene people at bay even though there was an ever increasing crowd of citizens and regular military gathering around the complex.  
  
His second was to B'Elanna and Tom simultaneously, once he was completely informed by the remaining officers on the Flyer of the details of their tactical operation. He was impressed. Kathryn and the others had come up with a complex plan that had involved a good deal of risk on a number of fronts, but they had pulled it off, and it had taken Voyager crew, Hakonene and Veret all working together, the very thing they had hoped to accomplish when this escapade began. The Captain would have a lot to be proud of once they had her back safe and sound on Voyager.  
  
Almost as if on cue, just as Chakotay was about to complete his conversation with them, both teams came upon the cavern that Lukar had spoken of within seconds of each other. As Tom entered the cavern through the same passage Gremnet and the Captain had arrived through and began to look around, he could see B'Elanna and her team appear from the gloomy darkness of one of the tunnels on the far side. It was a fair distance away, but the gold shoulders of the engineering and security uniforms she and others wore was clearly visible.  
  
The Security Minister and the Captain were nowhere to be seen.  
  
"They have to be here somewhere." Tom said softly but with a good deal of frustration in his voice.  
  
"They are." Lukar responded, "But there are a number of places they could be. We need to join forces with your Lieutenant and those with her and devise a plan to search for them. I must inform you that there are several places they could be that would allow them to observe our movements. We must be very careful."  
  
"Understood." Tom said, immediately contacting B'Elanna so they could begin to put the plan together.  
  
=/\=  
  
Gremnet stood only a few meters behind the roaring water, watching as a rescue party appeared from the passageway they had so recently exited themselves. "It appears we have company."  
  
Janeway sat up straighter against the rock wall and peered through the foamy cascade just in time to see several people duck behind a series of rock outcroppings in the area near the top of the path that Gremnet had forced her down. While she had not been able to identify many of them specifically, Jomar and Tom had stood out among them.  
  
From this vantage point, and with few exceptions, Gremnet could see anyone who attempted to approach them from the tunnels off the main cavern, but it would be almost impossible for anyone to see them. It would also be possible for him fire on anyone with deadly accuracy before he would ultimately give away his location. If she could have, Janeway would have taken the chance of shouting out their location. But Gremnet had prevented that possibility by gagging her with the material of her uniform sleeve. For the last several minutes she had been working the bonds holding her wrists together in an attempt to loosen them, but it had rapidly become apparent that it was a belt, made of some kind of worked animal hide, and it was unyielding. Eventually she gave up, thoroughly frustrated, the muscles in her arms protesting the effort.  
  
It was from this position that they now watched for any movement of the rescue team with interest, and all she could do was remain vigilant as she might find herself having to react on a moment's notice.  
  
TBC 


	24. Part 24

At Face Value - Part 24  
  
Written - 2/04  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 24  
  
Jomar, Lukar, Tom and the others were ensconced behind a large rock outcropping in order to be able to finalize their plan without taking the chance of being seen and possibly fired upon. They were now in constant contact with B'Elanna and her group and they were discussing how they would split up to cover the most area in the shortest amount of time. The floor of this cavern was largely made up of sand and loose gravel. It would be fairly easy to determine which way Gremnet and Janeway had gone if they could move about without being seen.  
  
"Ambassador, do you have any idea which way they would have gone?" asked Tom. "That might save us some time."  
  
"They could be anywhere. Gremnet could be watching us right now, or he could be sitting down one of these passageways, waiting to ambush us."  
  
Jomar had been listening to what everyone had to say and decided he needed to check on something. Rolling to his side from where he had been seated against a rock, he crawled along the ground, being careful to be behind some form of cover, until he had managed to move forward along side the main pathway to a point at which he could more closely examine the floor for tracks in the sand.  
  
The area just inside the cavern had been noticeably trampled by the rescue party for several meters until they had ducked behind cover. Beyond that, he believed he could see nothing but the patterns created by swirling cave winds. Pulling himself closer and raising his head as much as he dared, he took one last look for anything that might resemble footprints in the sand. Within seconds his investigation was over, all he could find being the prints of a small but common cave mammal.  
  
He carefully pushed his way back to the group and communicated his findings. "They did not pass by here, there are no prints in the sand and I am certain that they could not have covered their tracks well enough to disguise their passing. Is there any way for them to have passed by here without using the path?" he asked.  
  
Lukar considered the question and then responded with his answer. "Not for several more meters into the cavern, the outcroppings and boulders are too far apart to traverse and the edge of the path is to steep and the footing uncertain." He thought about it for a few more seconds and then continued with one word. "Unless..."  
  
Tom was immediately curious and watched the Ambassador closely as he too moved around the edge of the rock he was leaning against and crawled to where he could see into the main part of the cavern without being seen himself. The Ambassador however focused his gaze toward the waterfall that emerged from a cleft high in the cavern wall and dropped to the floor in one long frothy cascade. "I believe I may know where they are." he whispered.  
  
Jomar and Tom crawled up beside him and followed his line of sight until they were both certain they were looking in the same place. Tom was the one who identified it verbally first. "The waterfall?" he questioned.  
  
Lukar nodded. "I used to play here as a child. There is a ledge behind the waterfall. It leads nowhere, but they could be hiding there. It can be reached from this end of the cavern by a steep path almost directly across the main path from where we are now. There is another path from the opposite side near your Lieutenant and the others. If they are indeed there, they will not be able to escape."  
  
"Is there any way that we can approach them without being seen?" asked Ayala.  
  
"From the other side, yes, the way is almost completely hidden from anyone behind the waterfall. From this direction, anyone approaching would be almost totally exposed."  
  
"Than here's what I suggest." Ayala continued, and the others, including B'Elanna on the other end of the comm channel, listened intently as he outlined his idea.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway was surprised to see the members of the search party emerge from behind the rocks in pairs and begin to fan out in different directions around the cavern. They were careful to occasionally duck out of sight, apparently in an attempt to make it as difficult for anyone that might be watching to fire upon them. As she watched, Janeway was able to make out three distinct groups of two winding their way in and out of the rocks and down the other passageways that led off the main cavern. Within several minutes it appeared that they again split so that six individuals were doing so. The more they moved, the more difficult it was to keep track of them all, almost like a huge and sophisticated shell game. Gremnet watched with great fascination, and she could tell he was having difficulty watching them all, his body language indicative of nervousness and frustration the more time went on. This went on for some time until the six were spread so far apart is was difficult for even her trained eye to keep track of them.  
  
From where she was seated, back and to the left side of the cave, very near the edge of the falls, she thought she heard something out of the ordinary. It sounded to her as if a quantity of small rocks had been disturbed nearby. She decided to be even more on her guard as she watched the seemingly choreographed movements of the rescuers.  
  
Before she knew it, her suspicions were confirmed when B'Elanna leapt over the edge of the ledge to her left to stand beside her. Unfortunately, she had underestimated the force of the water and she became momentarily disoriented. It was enough for Gremnet to draw his weapon and take aim directly at the Lieutenant's chest. Frantic to do something to prevent the tragedy unfolding before her very eyes, in the split second that followed, Janeway had pulled her legs under her, managed somehow to stand, and rushed headlong at her chief engineer, using her shoulder and her entire body weight to force the two of them off of the ledge, through the waterfall, and into thin air as Gremnet leveled his weapon and fired.  
  
Seconds later, Gremnet was violently struck from behind and driven into the floor of the ledge by a massive body, the phaser flying helplessly from his hand in the general direction that B'Elanna had been standing, just as the rest of her group found its way through the falls and onto the ledge.  
  
They rescue team had timed everything as perfectly as they could have hoped, the distraction of the six others allowing Jomar to wind his way around along the wall of the cavern until he reached the base of the waterfall and climb to the ledge by the same path that Gremnet and Janeway had used earlier. B'Elanna and her group sprung the other part of the trap in unison, but they had underestimated the footing and the force of the water just enough that it put B'Elanna, as the officer in the lead, in danger. The top of the path had only been wide enough for one at a time, and it had been impossible to scout either Janeway or Gremnet's location without putting herself at risk. She had decided to simply go for broke, ordering the others to follow immediately in her wake.  
  
Jomar was on his feet quickly, dragging the Minister up like a rag doll by the collar of his uniform. "Hold him!" he shouted, actually tossing the Minister into the hands of the Hakonene and Voyager security officers as they appeared in pairs through the falling water. Once done, he turned, took several running steps, and hurled himself through the waterfall after the two women.  
  
=/\=  
  
The site of two Starfleet officers emerging from a waterfall and flying through the air, one obviously bound and gagged, was one that none that witnessed it would ever forget, and was even more amazing when Jomar emerged behind them. Tom, Lukar and the others saw what was happening and immediately emerged from cover to make their way as fast as they could to the large pool of water at the base of the falls.  
  
Janeway found herself quietly sinking into the cool dark water, unable to determine which end was up and finding it difficult to do anything to help herself with her hands still tied behind her back. With her mouth gagged, she had also been unable to take a decent breath of air before hitting the water and was finding it extremely difficult to hold onto what she did have. She'd never felt more helpless in her life, but she was somewhat comforted by the fact that she had probably saved B'Elanna's life.  
  
Just as she had no choice but to gulp water into her lungs, she felt a strong hand grab her by the arm and begin to pull her to the surface, another smaller hand grabbing her other arm shortly thereafter. As the others finally began to arrive and the edge of the pool, Jomar's head broke the surface, B'Elanna's almost at the same time, and a second later, the two of them lifted Janeway's head from the water and began to swim, the Captain between them, toward the sandy ground nearby.  
  
To those waiting along the shore, the short swim seemed to take forever, and once B'Elanna and Jomar were close enough to have their feet under them, Tom and Lukar waded into the water to help them with their burden. Pulling the Captain away from them while her rescuers regained their own composure, Tom and Lukar gently laid the Captain on the sand and releasing her bonds.  
  
Lukar stood and moved out of the way, allowing Tom to do what he could for her as B'Elanna knelt beside Tom and Jomar took the place so recently vacated by the Ambassador. The others, also concerned, slowly gathered to stand in a loose circle just behind them.  
  
For the next few moments Jomar sat beside her, holding her as she coughed out the water that only moments before she believed would drown her. It was an awful experience, but one greatly preferable over the alternative. With time she calmed, and slowly rolled into the comfort and warmth of Jomar's arms, and as he pushed her sodden, sand filled hair out of her face, she looked up into the concerned faces of those around her. "What took you so long?" she croaked, a huge smile gracing her features.  
  
=/\=  
  
Chakotay sat upright as soon as the hail came in from the planet. He'd had the pilot in the cockpit open a constant channel to the aft compartment so he could monitor any transmissions that came in. "Ensign Paris to the Delta Flyer. Come in please."  
  
"Chakotay here Tom, what do you have to report."  
  
"The mission has been a success Commander. With your permission, I'd like to have Captain Janeway and Lieutenant Torres beamed out." They had been careful to send Jomar, Lukar and several others back toward the main cavern before requesting transport, the Captain insisting that they had exposed enough technology to Jomar for one trip.  
  
"With pleasure Tom." Chakotay responded and then immediately ordered the activation of the transporter.  
  
When the beam coalesced into the two people in question, they were dripping from head to toe, small puddles forming in the carpeting where they stood, and Janeway in particular, had grains of sand clinging to almost every square centimeter of her body. The Doctor was immediately upon them looking to assist in any way. B'Elanna reached toward the Captain to steady her as she was still a little wobbly from their unintended swim, not to mention the rest of her ordeal.  
  
The Doctor noticed the damage to the Captain's cheek as well, the water having re-opened the cuts there and causing several small rivulets of blood to trickle down the side of her face. "Captain, let's get you into some dry clothes and then I can get a better look at you."  
  
"No argument here." she said, actually sounding cheerful despite how exhausted, cold and sore she was as she made her way to the replicator across the cabin from where she stood. "Chakotay, it's wonderful to see you. Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back. Oh, and turn your head."  
  
As she replicated a dry uniform and then stepped into the far corner to change, B'Elanna and Chakotay shared a quiet conversation. "Are the two of you alright?" he asked.  
  
"Just fine Chakotay. It's a long and interesting story, one I'm sure you'll be hearing for some time to come as it gets passed around the crew. Let's just say that everyone's alive and well, Gremnet's in custody, and Lukar and Jomar are on their way back to the main cavern to start their new way of life. Just another day in the Delta Quadrant." she smiled and took his hand, squeezing it to reassure him that all was indeed well and trying for all she was worth not to drip on him.  
  
He smiled in return. "I hope you'll tell me all about it soon. Your version I mean."  
  
"Count on it." she said as the two of them watched the Captain return, clean and dry and rubbing her hair with a towel.  
  
B'Elanna winked at Chakotay and patted his hand. "Well, my turn to get cleaned up. I'll be back in a few minutes." she said as she headed for the replicator and the corner herself.  
  
The Doctor moved toward Janeway, grasping her arm and gently pulling her toward a chair beside the biobed. "Now, if I may have your undivided attention for a few minutes Captain, I'd like to treat you."  
  
She didn't protest and took a seat in the chair, making herself as comfortable as she could while the Doctor took the towel away from her so he could have an unobstructed view of her face.  
  
"How's my first officer doing Doctor?" she inquired as he began to draw a tricorder and then a dermal regenerator back and forth over the side of her face.  
  
He continued to work as he answered. "He'll be fine, but his leg will require surgery when we get back to the ship."  
  
She lifted her gaze toward Chakotay, ignoring the scowl she saw on the Doctor's face as she did so, her movement making his work more difficult. They said nothing to each other, but they didn't need to, the look in each others eyes being all that needed to be said for the moment, both of them simply glad to be have the other alive and well and on their way back to their home. With that, Janeway slowly closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, allowing the Doctor to complete his work.  
  
Only moments later, B'Elanna returned to the center of the cabin in a dry uniform and wringing her hair with a towel in much the same way that Janeway had been. Lifting her head, she was about to speak to her commanding officers when the sight before her made her pause. Chakotay was now lying down, his head turned as he watched with obvious interest as the Doctor treated the Captain. She in turn was leaning back in the chair, her eyes shut, and her left arm resting on the biobed against the right arm of her first officer.  
  
Blatant displays of affection between the two friends were a rarity on Voyager. They were very careful not to give anyone the wrong impression. As it was, there had been more than a few rumors about the two of them among some of the crew from the very first, rumors that both of them were well aware of. Initially they were more than a little vicious, instigated by Starfleet and Maquis personnel alike, particularly those harboring resentment for the way the crews had been merged. A number of Starfleet crew had been resentful of being displaced or commanded by their former enemies. In turn, a number of Maquis initially felt that Chakotay and B'Elanna had sold out.  
  
Over time, the content and the nature of the rumors had changed, particularly after the two of them had been stranded together some years ago on a planet they had dubbed New Earth, thinking that they would live out the rest of their lives alone there. The rumors that circulated since then were of a much different sort, much of the crew almost seeing the Captain and the Commander as surrogate parents of a large and somewhat unruly family, and more than a few wanting nothing more than to see the two of them romantically involved. It seemed only fitting as far as they were concerned.  
  
B'Elanna, as one of the senior staff, was well aware of the true nature of their relationship. It was an intense friendship of the kind that would cause any normal person to be envious. She didn't know if there had ever been on New Earth, or would be in the future, a time when they would take it in another direction, but for the moment it was nothing but platonic.  
  
Nonetheless, the obvious affection and concern in Chakotay's eyes as the Doctor wiped away the last of the blood from the Captain's face, and the Captain's obvious need to have physical contact with the friend who was so recently brutally beaten before her very eyes, made quite an impression on the Lieutenant. It was yet another reminder to her that if they had to be stranded so far from home, it was a blessing and a privilege that it was with the likes of these two to lead them. Suddenly finding she had a lot to think about, she tossed the towel aside and quietly made her way to the cockpit to allow them their privacy.  
  
TBC 


	25. Part 25

At Face Value - Part 25  
  
Written - 2/04  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Part 25  
  
Hours later, B'Elanna lay on her bed, one hand behind her head, staring at the ceiling. The door chime sounded a total of four times before she even became aware that it was ringing, and not nearly soon enough to prevent the concerned visitor from letting himself in. Tom entered and stopped several steps inside the door, silhouetted by the light from the corridor in the darkened room. "B'Elanna, you okay? I was worried, you didn't answer..."  
  
Before he could finish, she sat up in bed, pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I know, I'm sorry."  
  
Tom noticed that she was still dressed in her uniform slacks and shoes, but had shed her jacket and turtleneck. "Okay, your sorry, but you still didn't answer my question, are you okay?"  
  
She turned her head toward him for the first time since he had entered and looked at him. "I'm fine Tom, really."  
  
Finally stepping completely into the cabin and allowing the door to slide shut, Tom moved forward until he took a seat beside her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her. She instantly slid closer to him and molded herself into the comforting and familiar embrace.  
  
B'Elanna, Chakotay and the Captain had been back on the ship for some time. Chakotay was now in surgery and Janeway was back on the bridge, more precisely in her ready room, working. Tom, Tuvok and most of the rest of the teams were back as well, although it had taken longer for them to return. They had spent some time making certain that the situation was under control before transporting back to the ship in small groups. Neelix and those at the transmission station were the only original group remaining until a Hakonene team could be sent to relieve them and that was expected within the hour.  
  
All in all, the mission had gone well. Besides Chakotay and the one security officer killed in the detention center, there had been only minor injuries among the Voyager crew. Several Veret and Hakonene had been injured in the initial assault on the main cavern and administration building, but there had been no fatalities and the Doctor had sent a team to treat the injured. They had set up a small clinic in the administration building and would stay as long as they were needed.  
  
When Tom had gotten back to the ship, he'd checked on her whereabouts and found out that the Captain had relieved her of duty to get some well deserved rest. Knowing where he would find her, he had taken the time to return to his cabin and get cleaned up before going to see her. "Everything go okay on the Flyer with the Captain and Chakotay?" he asked, still not exactly sure how to find out what was so obviously bothering her.  
  
With Tom's question, the image of the two in question finding comfort in each other's presence found its way back to her mind. "Um hmm." She loved and respected Chakotay as a brother, and the reminder that he could have such a close relationship with someone she was having difficulty with, only added to the turmoil she felt where the Captain was concerned.  
  
"Not too talkative are we?" he said, hoping to elicit more of a reaction than he was getting.  
  
She only snuggled closer to him in answer to his question. They sat that way for some time, Tom deciding that for the moment he was just happy to be with her even if she didn't seem interested in conversation.  
  
After a time she suddenly spoke, her voice soft and low and sounding weary. "Tom, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Of course." he replied, pulling her even closer to him. "What's on your mind?"  
  
"Do you resent the Captain for demoting you?"  
  
The question surprised him. It had been a while since the incident that had caused the Captain to knock him back a rank to Ensign and spend an involuntary thirty day vacation in the brig. He had really and truly resented her for it then, venting all over Harry during a visit, and Neelix and Ayala as he saw them more regularly while he was there, but eventually he had understood. There had been more than one incident of members of her staff breaking the rules, but very few incidents of deliberate and open insubordination, and in a situation that could have jeopardized lives and property. There was also the small matter of a direct violation of the Prime Directive right under her nose. He'd managed to break just about every rule in the book as well as disappointing her when she had trusted him with a mission that so obviously meant a lot to him. Afterwards, when he'd calmed down and had time to think about it, what had bothered him the most was not that he had lost a pip, he'd lost them before. No, what really had bothered him was that he had let her down. In the end, he'd betrayed a trust, even if it had been a matter of conscience.  
  
"I certainly did at first, but that was a long time ago, and I've had the chance to think about it a lot since then. I was largely over it when we came here, but I still felt like she and I were walking on egg shells around each other. When the two of you were kidnapped by the Veret, any remaining resentment just seemed to vanish. All I was concerned about was getting both of you back. When we did get you back, and I realized what she'd done for you down there, well, I guess it helped me to put things in perspective once and for all and to focus on what's really important."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
Deep philosophical discussions were not his stock and trade, but if it would help her, he'd try anything. IN a way, the mood she'd been in over the last several weeks was as difficult for him in his as it was for her. "Well, I guess it's the fact that we've been through so much together, that we're all we've got out here. When you and the Captain were down on that planet, and we didn't know what had happened to the two of you, I was really concerned about you, for obvious reasons, but what surprised me was how concerned I was about her. Even with everything that had happened between us, I knew I didn't want her to be hurt. I wanted her back on the bridge in charge where she belonged. It was almost like, I could be as mad at her as I wanted to be, but nobody else had the right to do anything to harm someone in my family, no matter what. Does that make any sense at all?"  
  
There was another long silence and then she moved slightly away from him and lifted her head to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Yeah, it does. Thanks Tom."  
  
"My pleasure." he said, pulling her into his chest again and holding her tight as she wrapped her arms around him.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway made her way silently through the empty outer area of the sickbay toward the biobed in the surgical bay. The lights had been dimmed for the night and also to allow the patient occupying the bed to get some much needed rest without the strong lights glaring in his eyes. Reaching the foot of the bed, she stopped there and stood stock still simply watching the occupant for a moment.  
  
They had each been in this position before and unfortunately more than once. There had been too many occasions on this trip where one or the other of them had stood silent vigil waiting for the other to awaken from physical injury or illness, some even life threatening. But this time there was a twist. This time she felt a level of guilt she hadn't felt in a long time. Her actions had directly led to the circumstances that put her officers in harms way and which resulted in one of them being killed and several others being injured, the most severe of those being the occupant of the biobed.  
  
She had only been standing there a minute or two when Chakotay stirred. A low raspy groan and a definitive grimace were both clear indicators that he was more than a little uncomfortable. She crossed her arms, almost as if hugging herself, and waited, leaning a hip against the side of the bed.  
  
As he returned to consciousness for the first time in more than a day, every muscle in his body felt tied up in knots, particularly those that had been assaulted by a Hakonene club. Opening his eyes, he blinked several times and then focused on the figure standing in the shadows at the foot of the bed. The light may have made it difficult to distinguish features, but Chakotay would know her anywhere, even in silhouette. "Kathryn." he whispered.  
  
She said nothing as she moved slowly toward the head of the bed, dropping her hands and sliding her left hand along the bed until she reached his hand and grasping it lightly. Then she leaned down, resting her other hand on the bed next to his head. They looked in each other's eyes for a long moment before anyone spoke, and Chakotay could tell by what he saw there that she had a lot on her mind. Finally she broke the silence. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Sore, but glad to be home. Thanks for getting us out of there."  
  
She smiled, cocked her head to one side and squeezed his hand. "The Doctor says you should be out of here in a couple of days. The surgery went well but he wants you here where he can help you get back on your feet gradually. He also said you'll need to take it easy for a couple of weeks to allow the leg to heal properly. After that, you should be good as new."  
  
The two of them hadn't seen or spoken to each other since shortly after arriving back on Voyager. Once they had landed on the ship, several things had taken precedent, not the least of which being Chakotay's surgery, and while she had checked in on his progress several times, she hadn't made it back herself until now.  
  
"How are things down on the planet?" he asked, knowing she must have spent a good deal of time working while he was being treated.  
  
"As good as can be expected I think. The Ambassador and the other members of the Council certainly have their work cut out for them, but they are already making plans to relocate the majority of the Veret into an outlying area of the central cavern. It seemed a compromise that both sides were comfortable with for the time being. Until then, the settlement has been stocked with provisions and medical supplies and a small compound in the main cavern has been made available to Jomar while negotiations continue. I'll also be attending a series of meetings as a mediator and Tuvok and Neelix will be coming along to assist. Both of them have gained a great deal of experience in the arts of diplomacy and negotiation since our journey began." She stopped for a few seconds and leaned closer to him. "Of course I would have preferred to have you along, but I guess we'll have to muddle through on our own."  
  
The smirk on his face inspired a small laugh from her. "I'm sure the three of you can handle it without me."  
  
"You're right, we can, but I'd still prefer to have you with me than here in sickbay." she said, moving her right hand from the bed and squeezing his shoulder as she moved her gaze from his head to his feet and back again, but she did not return her gaze completely to meet his eyes.  
  
The statement was harmless enough, be she said it in such a way that, after all these years of living and working with her, he could tell there was a level of emotion behind it that required further discussion. "Kathryn, what's bothering you?"  
  
This time her eyes met his. "That obvious, huh?" she said with an awkward smile.  
  
"To me, yes."  
  
She lifted her hand from his shoulder and released the hand she had been holding, stepping away from him and turning her face to stare in the general direction of the doctor's office. "I believe I owe you an apology Commander."  
  
The use of his rank was not lost on him. She was retreating into protocol in a vain attempt to protect herself from the conversation becoming too personal. It was an instinct for her, as natural as breathing, but they both knew each other far to well for it to really work after all these years.  
  
Now having the advantage of being able to say what she needed to without direct eye contact, she continued. "I am so sorry I ever got all of you into this. I never should have gotten so involved with these people. Furthermore, I should never have stayed behind on the planet without consulting you. If I hadn't been so damned impulsive, you would never have been in a situation to be captured in the first place." She'd blurted it out as if she was out of breath.  
  
"Kathryn, stop."  
  
He watched her from the back as her head and shoulders drooped, the movement reminding him of a balloon deflating. She took several long seconds to compose herself and then, finally, she turned back toward him. He looked up at her, noticing even in the diminished lighting that her eyes were moist."  
  
"What's really bothering you has absolutely nothing to do with your decision to help these people and you know it. You did the right thing, otherwise Tuvok and I would never have gone along with it." He gave her a moment to allow that to sink in before he continued. When he did, he deliberately changed his tone to one even more sympathetic. "What's bothering you is the part you had no control over and could not have predicted, the part that cost you personally. You're berating yourself for the fact that people you're responsible for and care about were hurt and killed. That mental casualty report you keep inside your head must be getting pretty full after all these years."  
  
A tear made its way down the side of her face. She had such mixed feelings about her friendship with him at times like this. On the one hand she very much appreciated being able to be herself with someone on the ship and not have to worry that someone would think less of her for being human. On the other hand, she hated the fact that he could see through her so easily. "Damn you Chakotay, you know me far to well."  
  
"It's a gift."  
  
The two friends looked thoughtfully at each other, neither feeling the need to say anything more for the moment. Eventually, she moved back to the side of the bed and grasped his hand again.  
  
"You have no idea how difficult it was for me to watch them hurt you." Her voice trailed off into a whisper as she said it, nothing more needing to be said.  
  
"Oh, I think I do. Probably about the same as I felt when Gremnet dragged you out of that detention center and I couldn't do anything to stop it."  
  
He let the statement hang in the air for several long seconds before going on.  
  
"I won't deny that there are a few questions of proper Captain – First Officer protocol that we may need to discuss once I'm back on duty, but if it's any consolation I think we both could have made better choices in some of this. You used the term impulsive. Well, I can claim the same affliction when it comes to trying to help Lukar. First of all, they needed our help, and I'm not one to ignore a distress call. Secondly, it seemed as though an opportunity was playing right into our hands, I wanted to much to take advantage of the opportunity that I lost my objectivity. My first mistake was not spending more time considering just how dangerous a situation we might be getting ourselves into. My second was taking the mission myself while you weren't available to take command of Voyager. I've scolded you enough about going on away missions that should have been left to others, I did the same thing myself this time. " A quick glance at her eyes told him she was still composing herself so he continued. "I wasn't aware that you could see what they did to me, although I had my suspicions that it was all for show. But I could see and hear you when Gremnet threatened to kill Crewman Russell. I'm proud of the way you handled yourself. That's your gift, the ability to lead people with your own blend of compassion and strength. Give yourself some time to let everything sink in, put it in perspective, and move on."  
  
She sniffed once and gripped his hand tighter. "How do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?" he said, puzzled.  
  
"How do you always manage to know the right thing to say to me? Even when it's something I'm not sure I want to hear."  
  
He shifted his head on the pillow and focused his deep brown eyes on her blue ones. "Oh, didn't I tell you? I'm really a mind reader, picked it up from a Betazoid in the Maquis, it comes in handy when you want to ambush Starfleet captains."  
  
Both of them laughed out loud at that and she punched him playfully in the shoulder.  
  
"I can tell you're feeling fine. I'll look forward to having you back on the bridge. And I'll come back to visit later, after I've finished the next round of negotiations on the planet."  
  
"I'll look forward to it. But not until you've gotten some rest, you look tired."  
  
"Looking out for the best interests of your Captain again already?"  
  
"It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it." he said with a lopsided grin.  
  
She squeezed his hand one last time and turned to leave but only made it to the foot of the bed before turning back. There were no words, just an intensity that only they understood as their eyes locked. Nodding her head and then draping herself again in her captain's persona, she turned and left sickbay.  
  
=/\=  
  
Janeway, Tuvok and Neelix sat at the table in the Council Chamber. This would be their last meeting. Voyager would be on its way in the morning, the official business done and the Hakonene and the Veret now needing to work out the remaining details of their new life together on their own.  
  
Janeway had provided Lukar and the others on the Council with all the information they had obtained from the journal entries and logs of the Hakonene ship. B'Elanna and Seven had done a marvelous job of unraveling all there was available and piecing a more than plausible time line of events together. It shed a great deal of light on what had actually transpired, both before and after the Hakonene arrived here. It also identified the fact that there were several on the Council that had been privy to their true history. The fact that generations of Councilors had kept it to themselves had infuriated the others and there was still a great deal of discussion around how that should be dealt with.  
  
Included in the information was a journal entry identifying that a direct ancestor of Milkor's, ironically of the same name, had actually orchestrated the murder of one of Lukar's ancestors and several others who refused to go along with the treatment of the Veret and the fabricated history they were to convey to future generations. There were also detailed accounts of what had happened to Jomar's grandfather and how the Veret had been forcibly removed from the caverns.  
  
All in all it was a lot for any society to have to deal with, the foundation of their culture becoming more and more fragile the more they learned. The Ruling Council had their work cut out for them if there was to be a stable future for their people, and in particular a future of peaceful coexistence with the Veret.  
  
Janeway and her crew had indeed provided the assistance that Gremnet and Milkor had so determinedly tried to obtain. It was a simple matter of trust and timing. Once she had gained assurances from Lukar and the Council, as well as from Jomar, that there would be no more fighting, they had repaired the defensive and communications systems to their original state, no more, no less.  
  
Milkor and Gremnet were now incarcerated in the very detention center that had played so prominently in their attempt to force Janeway into assisting them. She had paid Gremnet a visit soon after her ordeal with him was at an end, and even though she hated to admit it, she had taken a great deal of satisfaction from his appearance and his predicament. Jomar had managed to cause a good deal of damage to the Minister by driving him into the ground at the waterfall, and she suspected that the Hakonene that had taken responsibility for bringing him back to the main cavern had exacted their own brand of revenge as well. In addition to numerous cuts and bruises, he had a large purplish knot on his forehead where it had stuck a rock, and several of his ribs and his collarbone had been broken. They were all painful, but not life threatening. In the end he had said nothing to her, only glowered. She had in turn said nothing to him, leaving him alone to face his own demons and whatever consequences were in his future.  
  
When it became obvious that the business had been concluded, Lukar rose from his chair and addressed her. "Captain Janeway, there is no way that my people could ever adequately compensate you for what you and your crew suffered at the hands of some of our former leaders, much less repay you for all you have done for us. Please know that we will never forget you or your people and that we will try in our own way to reshape our culture incorporating the values we have seen demonstrated in the people of Voyager and in remembering the lessons we have learned through our brief association. We are more grateful than you know. Thank you."  
  
As the Ambassador finished, the others in the room rose from their seats and expressed their agreement by pounding their fists on the table. Eventually, Lukar made his way around the crowd to stand before her and say his own personal goodbye. Once done, the three officers from Voyager acknowledged the appreciation of the Hakonene one last time and then turned and left the room.  
  
Minutes later, as they stepped out through the main entrance and down the long staircase toward the thoroughfare in front of the administration building, they found a throng of Hakonene and Veret there, all of them also showing their appreciation for the strangers who had done so much for them.  
  
While the commotion continued, Janeway stepped up to Tuvok, rested a hand on his arm and spoke closely to his ear so that she could be heard over the din. When she removed her hand, Neelix, Tuvok and the security detail that had escorted them moved off toward the cavern entrance and a waiting Delta Flyer. Janeway, on the other hand, waved to the crowd in appreciation and then turned and walked in the opposite direction along the thoroughfare. She had only gone a few blocks when she turned down a long and pleasant looking alley until she came to a complex of buildings surrounded by a short wall and protected by a decorative gate.  
  
As she approached the gate she was recognized and welcomed by a lone Veret who opened the gate for her and who took her by the arm and escorted her the short distance to what appeared to be a large central building, the Veret in question being Jomar's son Lek. As they walked together in silence up a short staircase, Janeway now crossed her other arm in front of her to rest a hand on his where he held her gently. Reaching the top step, she looked up toward the doorway to find Jomar, standing proudly at the head of a group of Veret who were now as familiar to her as her own crew.  
  
She had come willingly, and alone as requested, the Veret wishing to honor her and say goodbye in their own way for what she had done for their people. When she was finally standing directly in front of Jomar, Lek released her, placing her right hand in that of his father's, and as he wrapped his other hand around hers and began to lead her inside, she looked up into his eyes, knowing that she would greatly miss him.  
  
TBC 


	26. Epilogue

At Face Value - Epilogue  
  
Written - 2/04  
  
Summary - A routine supply mission for Janeway and B'Elanna leads to unexpected consequences for the crew when they find themselves entangled in an alien conflict.  
  
Rating - G  
  
Note - This story begins shortly after the incidents in the episode Juggernaut and concludes shortly after the episode Barge of the Dead.  
  
Epilogue  
  
B'Elanna couldn't sleep. There were too many thoughts running through her mind for her to relax enough to close her eyes and rest even though she was exhausted. Lifting the covers, she sat up and slid herself off the edge of the bed. She sat for a moment running through possible activities that might distract her from those thoughts that had kept her awake.  
  
Within only a few minutes, she found herself dressed in comfortable clothes, and approaching holodeck one, a late night holoprogram now the order of business, and a seemingly convenient diversion. Upon approaching, she noticed that there was already a program running. 'Now who...' she thought to herself, and then decided to find out. "Computer, identify the occupants of holodeck one."  
  
The computer responded immediately, "Captain Kathryn Janeway."  
  
B'Elanna rolled her eyes at the irony. Her attempt to find a distraction from her thoughts had now placed her in close proximity to the very person that had inspired a good deal of her restlessness. It was now several weeks since the incident with the Veret and the Hakonene and since then she and Janeway had endured yet another test to their relationship.  
  
Noting that the privacy lock was not engaged, she swallowed her apprehension and entered unannounced. When her eyes adjusted to the diffuse montage of shadow and light, she found herself in what must be Janeway's DaVinci program. She had heard of it from Chakotay and several others who had spent time with her here and was instantly impressed by the authenticity and attention to detail that must have taken Janeway years to achieve. B'Elanna felt she had been transported to another time and place and the warm glow of the candle and fire light, and the flickering patterns and shadows they cast on the walls, were oddly comforting given her recent experience.  
  
Looking closely in the dim light, she quickly spotted the Captain, even though all that was visible was the back of her head and the red and black of the shoulders of her uniform. She was seated at a slight angle on long bench facing the fire. There was a heavy blanket draped over the seat and backrest, likely to make it more comfortable to rest upon. She appeared comfortable, her feet resting on a low table in front of her, ankles crossed, and the ever-present coffee mug firmly held between her hands.  
  
"Couldn't sleep Lieutenant?" she said quietly, her deep resonant voice echoing in the otherwise empty room, the faint hiss of the holodeck doors alerting her to another presence in the room, and the reflection of Voyager's Chief Engineer in a window seconds later identifying who it was that had joined her.  
  
"Something like that." B'Elanna said with a nervous smile.  
  
B'Elanna had only days before been seriously injured in a shuttle accident and what could only be described as a near death experience had put her in contact with her mother during what appeared to be her journey to the Klingon afterlife. The experience had left her shaken and uncertain, and initially at odds with Janeway when she requested permission to recreate the near death conditions to find out what had happened to her mother. Even after all they had been through together with the Hakonene and the Veret there was still a tension between them that resurfaced during that conversation. In the end, Janeway had acquiesced, B'Elanna had survived the experience, and the two of them had begun to patch the pieces of their relationship back together, the intensity of B'Elanna's reaction to the Captain when she regained consciousness are large contributing factor. B'Elanna had awakened, spotted the Captain, and within seconds had enveloped her in a warm embrace. Janeway, completely taken aback by it at first, had nonetheless responded in kind with genuine affection. It was a meaningful start, but both of them instinctively knew there was more to sort out.  
  
B'Elanna had noted the fact that it was 0320 hours according to the chronometer in the holodeck control panel when she first arrived, well beyond the time of day that either of them should be up and about. Now it also registered that the Captain being in uniform indicated she had never even made it to bed in the first place, much less found sleep. As she slowly made her way over to where Janeway sat, taking in more of the detail of the room and it's contents as she went, she asked, "Mind if I join you?"  
  
Never removing her gaze from the flickering flames, Janeway acknowledged her junior officers' request. "Not at all."  
  
B'Elanna took a seat beside her captain and the two of them sat in silence for several moments, the only movement being that of the Captain taking a long slow sip from her mug and B'Elanna absently picking up and playing with the fringe on a section of the blanket she now sat upon.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts Captain?" B'Elanna finally said, unable to stand the stillness any longer.  
  
Janeway smiled broadly over her mug, took another sip and then lowered it to her lap. Laying her head across the back of the bench to face the ceiling and closing her eyes she said, "I see you've been picking up more expressions from my helmsman the twentieth century buff."  
  
"Guess so. He tends to rub off on people." B'Elanna said, turning toward the Captain with her lower back against the bench's arm rest and crossing her legs beneath her on the seat.  
  
"That he does." Janeway said with a small chuckle.  
  
"But you haven't answered my question Captain. That is, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
Janeway sighed, "I don't mind you asking B'Elanna, not in the slightest."  
  
Janeway had been sitting here in the middle if the night, lost in thought about the events of the last several months and their impact on her. They had been difficult to say the least, more so in some ways than any other period in their journey. The seemingly endless stress and strain of traveling through unknown territory, of searching for supplies and dealing with new alien races had been challenge enough, but infinitely more difficult and painful were the challenges from within. She had faced deep personal and emotional confrontations involving B'Elanna, Tom, Harry, Seven and the Doctor within a short span of time and all of them had taken their toll on her.  
  
The fact of the matter was, Janeway felt more confident in the middle of a full scale Borg attack than in navigating the waters of her personal relationships with her crew. She'd thought she'd managed to build a somewhat impenetrable wall between herself and her emotions, a defense mechanism developed to survive so far from home and family. The last several months had challenged both her ability to maintain the wall and the validity of building it in the first place.  
  
It had also been some time since they had left the Veret and the Hakonene behind, a tenuous peace between the two races the legacy of Voyager's passing. She hadn't been sleeping well since then. She was still second guessing her decisions during the whole affair, particularly in relationship to the Prime Directive, and quite frankly she was tired, of a lot of things, and she was honest with herself enough to know that her fatigue was largely psychological. The Doctor had finally convinced her to take a few days off just before the latest incident with B'Elanna but it hadn't helped much.  
  
She eventually continued to speak, "To be honest, it was a long day. With everything that's been happening lately I've had my hands full, and I'm still getting caught up from when I took those few days off. Even though Chakotay and Tuvok kept me well informed, there's nothing like actually being in the thick of things. Of course maybe the science officer in me is just a stickler for detail. I'm sure I've spent a lot of time on things that really weren't all that important or could easily have been delegated."  
  
B'Elanna could fully understand what she meant. It was always hard to be away from something you loved for any length of time. She had noticed that very same attention to detail in the Captain that she spoke of now many times. As an engineer, she suffered from the affliction herself. Truth be told, Janeway was not only an exceptional science officer, she was a damn good engineer in her own right, as well as tactician, pilot, and a number of other things most people would not expect. It was an added bonus for a ship lost in the middle of nowhere that her captain was so resourceful.  
  
Giving the Captain's response some thought, B'Elanna had a sneaking suspicion that there was really much more to both of their obvious cases of insomnia, and she determined it was time to cut to the chase. "Still thinking about what we left behind, for the Veret and the Hakonene I mean?" she inquired. It wasn't what she really wanted to talk about, not completely anyway, but it would get things started.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I am, at least partly. I wonder if I... we... did the right thing. It seemed right at the time, but maybe it was just the heat of the moment, maybe our emotions got the best of us." There was another heavy sigh as she continued to stare at the ceiling.  
  
B'Elanna was immediately impressed by her commanding officer's willingness to express uncertainty with what had happened. She had not missed Janeway's initial slip of the tongue either. It was a sign of her integrity that she questioned herself, and a natural reaction to situations such as the one they were discussing. Given the fact that they would ultimately never know whether or not their efforts were successful in the long run, it was more than understandable.  
  
"You did the right thing Captain." and then very quietly, almost under her breath she continued, "But then, you always do."  
  
The Captain lifted her head and looked questioningly into B'Elanna's eyes, raising one arm across the back of the bench. "Something tells me you have more on your mind then our new friends back there. Call it a hunch based on the fact that you're wandering around the ship in the middle of the night and chose to brave the uncertainty of joining me in one of my holodeck programs. Care to talk about it?"  
  
B'Elanna now felt as if she'd trapped herself. She hadn't meant for that last sentence to sneak out, but it had. In fact, that's what was keeping her up nights. She had finally come to the full realization that the problems that she and the Captain had in their relationship had never been Janeway's creation. Not really. No matter what the situation, Janeway had always acted in the best interests of everyone, often balancing conflicting desires and viewpoints, with the possible exception of giving proper consideration to her own needs as a human being. That wasn't to say that she never made a mistake, but there was never anything but the most admirable of motivations involved even when she did, and to be quite honest, the mistakes were few and far between.  
  
Their proximity to each other through their experience with the Veret, and in the weeks since, had allowed B'Elanna to see her captain in ways she really hadn't had the opportunity to before, or at least had conveniently forgotten about in her anger and despondency. The Captain's selflessness, her courage, her strength in the face of physical pain, and most of all, her humanity, had all been put to the test and never wavered. Not once. And on an even more personal level, there was the fact that Janeway had ultimately allowed B'Elanna to attempt to contact her mother, something she no doubt believed to be an incredibly risky and meaningless undertaking, even staying with her through the entire experience. It said a lot about who she was under the uniform.  
  
B'Elanna had also given a lot of thought to the fact that her mother had appeared to her more than once in a Starfleet uniform. A captain's uniform to be more precise. She vividly remembered that aspect of her return to the Barge of the Dead and the significance was not lost on her. Not in the slightest.  
  
No, if there were problems between them, it was because B'Elanna was too blinded by her own issues to see things clearly. If they didn't agree on everything, it certainly wasn't personal, and in the grand scheme of things it really didn't matter very much. Nor did it have anything to do with some overpowering need on Janeway's part to be in control of everything, even though that was exactly what B'Elanna had believed at one time. In retrospect, she knew now beyond a shadow of a doubt that simply wasn't what made Janeway tick.  
  
After a long silence, B'Elanna raised her head, an extremely serious expression on her face. "Captain, can I ask you something?"  
  
Janeway nodded.  
  
"Why did you do it?"  
  
For the moment, Janeway was somewhat puzzled, but she knew that whatever it was B'Elanna wanted to know must be important so she played along. "Do what?"  
  
"You continually placed me in a position of responsibility during our time with the Veret and the Hakonene, and on more than one occasion you risked your life for me, all at a time when I was completely undeserving. Why?"  
  
This was a highly complicated and emotion filled question and it required an earnest and deeply considered response. Taking a slow, deep breath, Janeway plunged into what she knew would be one of the most important conversations she had ever had with one of her officers, one that would more than likely set the tone for their future relationship. "Why would you ask that, and after all this time?"  
  
"I'm sorry if I'm out of line here Captain. I mean no disrespect," B'Elanna uncharacteristically wrung her hands, "but it's important to me."  
  
Janeway made a quick decision to be completely honest, knowing somehow that it would be worth it. "Well Lieutenant, first of all, as far as risking my life goes, I should let you know that contrary to popular belief I really don't have a death wish." It was said with just a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth and with a good deal of humor in the tone.  
  
B'Elanna chuckled in spite of herself, not at all surprised that her Captain was aware of some of the commentary that occasionally passed through the Voyager rumor mill when some incident resulted in the Captain taking substantial risk with her own life. Janeway often insisted on taking away missions herself, even where protocol would normally demand that she stay on board.  
  
Janeway took pleasure in being able to begin the conversation on a lighter note. "You've asked a tough question B'Elanna, but I think I know why you're asking, so I'll be as honest as I can. I suppose I could say it's my duty as your commanding officer. Part of a captain's job is to keep her crew safe. But that would be the by the book answer. Especially since you and I both know that there are many captains in Starfleet that don't look at it that way."  
  
B'Elanna nodded with a smirk, remembering encounters with some of those officers during her brief stint at the academy. They often ended up there, in research and development, or at some desk job and away from the front lines, and for obvious reasons, a good thing in B'Elanna's opinion. Not everyone that went through the academy had what it took to be a good starship commander.  
  
Janeway took a breath and switched the position of her legs. "To tell you the truth, it's not something I really give much thought to. I've done things like this since I was a child. Of course it made my family and those closest to me a bit nervous, but it's simply part of who I am. As for our particular situation, I care deeply about each and every member of my crew, and in particular the members of my senior staff. You are all very dear to me in a way that I can't put into words. I would gladly sacrifice myself for any one of you without a moment's hesitation if it didn't put anyone else in jeopardy. And, I suppose a part of it is still wrapped up in a sense of guilt for getting all of you stuck out here in the first place. It's been very difficult for me every time we lose a member of our family. I wonder how I will explain it to their loved ones back in the Alpha Quadrant. I wonder what I could have done differently as their captain to prevent it from happening in the first place..."  
  
At that, B'Elanna opened her mouth to interrupt, but Janeway held up a hand and continued. "It's not always easy to carry the responsibility for those lives in my charge and for Voyager's circumstances, but long talks with my first officer have helped immensely." she said with another smile, knowing B'Elanna would understand what she meant. "In the end, I guess it's just my nature. I've always been a bit overprotective of those who have served under my command. And according to some, a little too reckless at times, but I don't think I could change it even if I wanted to. Does that answer your question?"  
  
"It helps. But you did it for me. Even with the way I've acted lately, the way I've treated you." she said uncertain, and lowered her gaze to her hands. "And you put your trust in me when I wasn't even sure myself that I could live up to your expectations."  
  
Janeway reached over to rest her hand on B'Elanna's forearm and moved her head until she could intercept her line of sight. The tactic worked, and B'Elanna again looked into her Captain's eyes. "Look B'Elanna, we all have times in our life where we're not exactly at our best. With the uncertain and vagabond existence we have out here it's to be expected. More importantly, the way I feel about all of you is unconditional. There's no scorecard. We all mean too much to each other after all these years for anything I did for you to be construed in any way as a rational or considered decision. Besides, during our first encounter with the Veret you're the one that got hit by an arrow. I wasn't all that successful in protecting you now was I? And as for trusting you, you earned that long ago. You've never let me or anyone else on this crew down when we truly needed you. I had faith in that. Besides, I think I took a bigger risk when I went against your wishes and allowed the Doctor and that Cardassian hologram to save your life. Quite frankly I was more concerned about you then than I ever was with Gremnet or Jomar."  
  
B'Elanna's mouth formed into a weak smile. She had gotten her answer. And in some ways it was one that surprised her. Blinking back the moisture forming in her eyes she said quietly, "Thank you.", now certain she wanted to put her bad temper behind her for good where the Captain was concerned. And what Janeway had just said went a long way toward helping that to happen.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
Finally returning Janeway's gaze with equal intensity, she spoke, "Captain, I believe I owe you a formal apology."  
  
Janeway said nothing in response. She simply gave B'Elanna room to breathe and to continue with what she had to say when she was ready.  
  
"I've been behaving very badly lately. Well... for a long time now. There were a lot of reasons for it, some justified, some not, and unfortunately you turned out to be a convenient target for a lot of my anger and frustration. I've had a lot of time to think about things lately. And ironically, a good deal of one on one time with you. Something I realized I really hadn't had since this trip began. It gave me a chance to put a few things in perspective. I never told you this, but when I saw my mother the last time, on the Barge of the Dead, she was wearing a Starfleet captain's uniform."  
  
Janeway looked surprised at the revelation.  
  
B'Elanna continued. "I realized then that while I've always been resentful of authority, a lot of it stems from my unresolved feelings toward my mother. And, in a way, I projected a lot of that on you." B'Elanna smiled awkwardly again, somewhat embarrassed by what she was about to say, but said it anyway. "I guess I felt you were acting a lot like her. Making decisions for me that I didn't approve of, seeing through me when I thought I could hide how I really felt from the world... I chose to see all of those things negatively instead of seeing them for what they really meant. It meant that you cared, not about your authority over me, not about your rank, and not about keeping me under your thumb. You cared about me as a person.  
  
"I think I finally began to realize that when I came to in the cave after you pulled that arrow from my leg and found your pips lying in the dirt. The fact that you so casually threw away the very symbol of everything I had been so resentful of made an impression on me. And then there was the incident with Gremnet and what he did to Chakotay. I had no right to condemn you the way I did, I reacted far too quickly, and with no consideration for your position and the level of self control required of you in a situation like that. Part of me knew it had to be just as difficult for you as it was for me, but I was too angry and upset to acknowledge it." B'Elanna realized she was starting to ramble, she also realized she had said everything she really wanted to, except one. She stopped, took a deep breath and finished. "I want you to know that I'm truly sorry for some of the things I said and did over the last several months. You didn't deserve it. I hope you can forgive me."  
  
Janeway sat in utter amazement over what her young companion had just revealed. As she watched her now, she could see B'Elanna trembling, and there were unshed tears in the corners of her eyes, both visible signs of her internal struggle and the courage it had taken to have this conversation.  
  
Taking a moment to gather her own thoughts, Janeway placed her feet firmly on the floor and leaned forward to rest her now cooling mug on the table. By the time she looked toward B'Elanna again, she was once again contemplating the blanket in her hands and noticeably crying. Janeway slid along the bench, closing the last of the gap between them until she was close enough to rest one hand on B'Elanna's leg and use the other hand to reach forward to lift her chin so she had no choice but to make eye contact. It was a gesture reminiscent of one of their recent encounters, one of the episodes during the time B'Elanna had just apologized for.  
  
"B'Elanna, you've been through a lot lately, both personally and professionally. As you said, I simply became a convenient target for your frustration and I never took any of it personally, although I will admit it did give me a good deal to think about. I want you to know how very proud I am of you. I might not be sitting here having this conversation without you following my orders and bringing the team back for me on that planet with the Veret. You lived up to the best of my expectations, overcoming your own pain and conflicting emotions to do so. B'Elanna, I'm your captain, but I'd also like to think that on some level I'm your friend. I hope we can start acting like it a little more often."  
  
In the dim light of the holodeck, in the middle of Voyager's night, as the ship streaked through space making its way inexorably toward their ultimate goal, Kathryn Janeway, and B'Elanna Torres stared into each other's eyes in a way they never had before. There was no rank, no command structure, no Starfleet or Maquis, no human and Klingon, only two women, reaching a new level of trust and respect. When Janeway spoke again, the words touched B'Elanna's mind and heart as if placed directly there through telepathy rather than being spoken aloud. "There is nothing to forgive."  
  
With that, the damn finally burst and B'Elanna fell forward into her captain's arms, and the irony of this situation was not lost on Janeway. Not for one moment. She was once again finding much needed comfort and validation for herself in a most unlikely place at an unexpected but nonetheless opportune time. B'Elanna would never know exactly how therapeutic this conversation and the resulting human contact were to her commanding officer as well as to herself.  
  
The simple fact of the matter was that Janeway had longed to get back to duty after her brief vacation. Being here in the holodeck in the dead of night was simply a result of her on-going struggle with her insomnia. She didn't like having too much free time, all it did was give her more time to think, time to question herself, her actions, her motivations, for not only her most recent challenges, but almost everything that had happened since being thrust to the other side of the galaxy.  
  
The wall she'd built had been a mechanism to allow her to carry the burdens of her command as if she was insulated from the reality of them by the almost constant need to be vigilant, to be strong and set an example for the crew, and quite honestly there was normally more than enough to keep her busy. When that was taken from her, reality set in. She knew for certain, if they ever did reach home... no, when they reached home, she would need a very long vacation, and more than likely lots of long talks with family and close friends to exorcise the demons of these years in the Delta Quadrant.  
  
Hugging B'Elanna tighter to her chest, she gave and received comfort with equal measure, moisture accumulating in her own eyes. She was almost disappointed when B'Elanna's sobs and sniffles finally subsided. "Feeling better now?" she said even as she continued to pat the younger woman comfortingly on the back while resting her chin on the top of her head.  
  
With that, B'Elanna leaned back from her captain's shoulder to look her in the eye again, an expression of complete and utter embarrassment on her face. "I am so sorry Captain, I don't know what came over me, I..."  
  
"B'Elanna, please don't. I think I know how you feel. I've been there a few times in my life as well. If it helps, I can't tell you how much it means to me that you trust me enough to tell me all this. We've been through a lot together over the last few months and in particular with the Veret. I hope you're not offended by this, but I think you and I are a lot more alike that we'd care to admit. We're both incredibly proud. We're motivated by deeply felt emotions, developed through some challenging life experiences. And we're both more than a little stubborn."  
  
B'Elanna smiled in spite of herself, "I imagine Chakotay would attest to that last statement in particular."  
  
Janeway smiled back, happy that her words had lightened the mood. "And of course we're both brilliant." She hesitated intentionally for B'Elanna's smile to broaden and was not disappointed, although she was a bit surprised by the more than obvious blush that rose in her chief engineer's cheeks. "I hope we can move on from here with a new start to our relationship, a clean slate."  
  
B'Elanna sighed and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. "Deal."  
  
"Now, if you don't get back to bed, you're going to be at somewhat less than your best for your shift, and I have it on good authority that the Captain won't tolerate anything less than peak performance from her senior staff. And if I don't do the same, those two watchdogs who pose as my most senior officers will give me a really hard time about the bags under my eyes when the day shift starts on the bridge."  
  
The conversation had obviously now come to a comfortable conclusion for both of them and they were laughing together as they rose from their seats and headed for the door.  
  
"By the way Captain, I like what you've done with this place." said B'Elanna as she took in the remaining detail of the space.  
  
Janeway placed a guiding hand on B'Elanna's back as they moved toward the door. "Why thank you Lieutenant, next time I'll give you the grand tour." she responded, her voice trailing off into the air of the holodeck as the door swished to a close behind them.  
  
THE END 


End file.
